Can You Eat Salami While Pregnant?
Cured deli meats like salami are best heated until steaming hot before eating in pregnancy, rather than eaten cold from the packet.
The full answer
Salami is a cured, ready-to-eat meat, and like other deli and cured meats it can occasionally carry Listeria — a bacterium that's rare but can be dangerous in pregnancy — and, because it isn't cooked, a small toxoplasmosis risk. Mainstream guidance (FDA, NHS) isn't that you can never have it, but that cured and deli meats should be heated until steaming hot — around 74°C / 165°F — just before eating, which kills these bacteria. Straight from the packet at room temperature it carries a small but avoidable risk; heated right through on a hot pizza or in a cooked dish, it's considered fine. This is general planning information — confirm with your midwife or provider.
How to eat salami safely
- Heat until steaming hot (74°C/165°F) right before eating — e.g. cooked on a pizza or in a hot dish
- Eat it freshly heated rather than letting it cool and sit out
- Store it properly and check use-by dates
When to avoid: Avoid salami eaten cold or straight from the packet. If you've already had some cold, don't panic — listeriosis is rare — but tell your provider if you develop a fever or flu-like symptoms.
Salami by trimester
| Stage | What changes |
|---|---|
| First trimester | Salami is cured rather than cooked, which raises both listeria and toxoplasmosis. Guidance generally advises cooking it or choosing something else, rather than eating it cold from the packet. |
| Second trimester | Unchanged. On a hot pizza it's been cooked, which is how the concern is usually addressed in practice. |
| Third trimester | Same guidance. Charcuterie and antipasti boards are the situation to think about. |
Common questions about salami in pregnancy
Can I eat salami while pregnant?
Cold salami straight from the packet is generally advised against, because curing preserves without cooking. Cooked until steaming hot — baked onto a pizza, for example — it's usually considered fine.
Why does cured meat raise toxoplasmosis specifically?
Because the curing process doesn't reliably kill the parasite the way cooking does. That's an additional concern on top of listeria, and it's why cured meats are treated more cautiously than cooked cold cuts.
Does freezing salami make it safe?
Freezing is sometimes suggested as reducing toxoplasmosis risk, but it isn't a complete answer and doesn't deal with listeria. Cooking is more reliable.
The general rules on listeria, mercury, caffeine and alcohol are in our pregnancy safety guide, and you can track your pregnancy with the How Far Along Am I? calculator and the week-by-week guide.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you eat salami while pregnant?
- Cured deli meats like salami are best heated until steaming hot before eating in pregnancy, rather than eaten cold from the packet. Salami is a cured, ready-to-eat meat, and like other deli and cured meats it can occasionally carry Listeria — a bacterium that's rare but can be dangerous in pregnancy — and, because it isn't cooked, a small toxoplasmosis risk. Mainstream guidance (FDA, NHS) isn't that you can never have it, but that cured and deli meats should be heated until steaming hot — around 74°C / 165°F — just before eating, which kills these bacteria. Straight from the packet at room temperature it carries a small but avoidable risk; heated right through on a hot pizza or in a cooked dish, it's considered fine. This is general planning information — confirm with your midwife or provider.
- Why is salami something to be careful with in pregnancy?
- Salami is a cured, ready-to-eat meat, and like other deli and cured meats it can occasionally carry Listeria — a bacterium that's rare but can be dangerous in pregnancy — and, because it isn't cooked, a small toxoplasmosis risk. Mainstream guidance (FDA, NHS) isn't that you can never have it, but that cured and deli meats should be heated until steaming hot — around 74°C / 165°F — just before eating, which kills these bacteria. Straight from the packet at room temperature it carries a small but avoidable risk; heated right through on a hot pizza or in a cooked dish, it's considered fine. This is general planning information — confirm with your midwife or provider.
- When should I avoid salami during pregnancy?
- Avoid salami eaten cold or straight from the packet. If you've already had some cold, don't panic — listeriosis is rare — but tell your provider if you develop a fever or flu-like symptoms.
Sources
This answer was checked against the following public guidance. Advice can differ between countries; your midwife, doctor or pharmacist can apply it to you.