Can You Eat Soft Cheese While Pregnant?
Hard cheeses and pasteurised firm soft cheeses are fine; avoid mould-ripened and soft blue cheeses unless cooked.
The full answer
The dividing line is listeria, which grows in moist, less-acidic cheeses. Mould-ripened soft cheeses (brie, camembert, chèvre with a white rind) and soft blue cheeses (gorgonzola, roquefort, Danish blue) can support listeria and are advised against unless cooked until steaming — even when pasteurised. Cheeses that are safe: all hard cheeses (cheddar, parmesan, gruyère), and pasteurised soft cheeses that aren't mould-ripened, such as cottage cheese, mozzarella, ricotta, paneer, halloumi, cream cheese, and feta. Any cheese made from unpasteurised (raw) milk is best avoided. Cooked cheese — on a pizza, in a sauce, baked — is fine because heat kills listeria.
How to eat soft cheese safely
- Fine: hard cheeses, plus pasteurised cottage cheese, mozzarella, ricotta, feta, halloumi, cream cheese
- Cook mould-ripened (brie, camembert) and soft blue cheeses until steaming before eating
- Avoid anything made from unpasteurised/raw milk
When to avoid: Avoid uncooked brie, camembert, chèvre, soft blue cheeses, and queso fresco-style cheeses (even pasteurised ones), and all raw-milk cheeses.
Soft Cheese by trimester
| Stage | What changes |
|---|---|
| First trimester | The concern is listeria in soft cheeses made from unpasteurised milk, and in mould-ripened soft cheeses regardless of pasteurisation. Hard cheeses and pasteurised firm cheeses aren't the issue. |
| Second trimester | Unchanged. Reading labels for 'pasteurised' becomes routine — most supermarket soft cheese is pasteurised, which makes most of it fine. Brie, camembert, soft blue cheese and queso fresco are the exceptions: they still need cooking until steaming hot. |
| Third trimester | Same guidance throughout. Cooking soft cheese until steaming hot resolves the concern, which is why baked camembert and cheese-topped dishes are treated differently. |
Common questions about soft cheese in pregnancy
Which soft cheeses are actually a problem?
Broadly, those made from unpasteurised milk, and mould-ripened soft cheeses such as brie and camembert. Pasteurised, non-mould-ripened soft cheeses like cream cheese, cottage cheese and most mozzarella are generally considered fine.
Does cooking make soft cheese safe?
Cooking until steaming hot addresses listeria, which is why cooked dishes containing these cheeses are usually considered fine even when the cold version isn't.
How do I check if it's pasteurised?
The label states it, and in many countries most supermarket cheese is pasteurised by default. Artisan, farm-gate and imported cheeses are the ones most worth checking, and a deli counter can usually tell you.
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 soft cheese while pregnant?
- Hard cheeses and pasteurised firm soft cheeses are fine; avoid mould-ripened and soft blue cheeses unless cooked. The dividing line is listeria, which grows in moist, less-acidic cheeses. Mould-ripened soft cheeses (brie, camembert, chèvre with a white rind) and soft blue cheeses (gorgonzola, roquefort, Danish blue) can support listeria and are advised against unless cooked until steaming — even when pasteurised. Cheeses that are safe: all hard cheeses (cheddar, parmesan, gruyère), and pasteurised soft cheeses that aren't mould-ripened, such as cottage cheese, mozzarella, ricotta, paneer, halloumi, cream cheese, and feta. Any cheese made from unpasteurised (raw) milk is best avoided. Cooked cheese — on a pizza, in a sauce, baked — is fine because heat kills listeria.
- Why is soft cheese something to be careful with in pregnancy?
- The dividing line is listeria, which grows in moist, less-acidic cheeses. Mould-ripened soft cheeses (brie, camembert, chèvre with a white rind) and soft blue cheeses (gorgonzola, roquefort, Danish blue) can support listeria and are advised against unless cooked until steaming — even when pasteurised. Cheeses that are safe: all hard cheeses (cheddar, parmesan, gruyère), and pasteurised soft cheeses that aren't mould-ripened, such as cottage cheese, mozzarella, ricotta, paneer, halloumi, cream cheese, and feta. Any cheese made from unpasteurised (raw) milk is best avoided. Cooked cheese — on a pizza, in a sauce, baked — is fine because heat kills listeria.
- When should I avoid soft cheese during pregnancy?
- Avoid uncooked brie, camembert, chèvre, soft blue cheeses, and queso fresco-style cheeses (even pasteurised ones), and all raw-milk cheeses.
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.