FDA: Soft Cheese OK For Pregnant Women

WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration says blue cheese may be OK for pregnant women after all.

The agency is changing its advice on the risk of listeria food poisoning from soft cheeses such as bleu, feta and camembert. It had said the products should be avoided by pregnant women, theelderly, and people with weak immune systems. But the agency now says products made from pasteurized milk, and which are stored properly, are safe to eat.

Officials say new studies show soft cheese made from pasteurized milk is not at a high risk for listeria.

The FDA said consumers can take two steps with ready-made foods to reduce their risk of listeria by more than 50 percent: keep refrigerated foods stored at 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and use perishable items that are precooked or ready-to-eat as soon as possible.

Listeria can cause flulike symptoms and is sometimes deadly, especially in people with weak immune systems. In pregnant women, listeria can cause miscarriage, fetal death, and severe illness or death of a newborn.

These high-risk groups should avoid listeria by following these steps:

Do not eat hot dogs and luncheon meats, unless they are reheated until steaming hot.
Do not eat soft cheese such as feta, Brie, and Camembert cheeses, blue-veined cheeses, queso blanco, queso fresco, and Panela unless it is labeled as made with pasteurized milk.
Do not eat refrigerated pates or meat spreads. Canned or shelf-stable pates and meat spreads may be eaten.
Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood, unless it is contained in a cooked dish, such as a casserole. Refrigerated smoked seafood, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna, or mackerel, is most often labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked," or "jerky." The fish is found in the refrigerator section or sold at deli counters of grocery stores and delicatessens. Canned or shelf-stable smoked seafood may be eaten.
Do not drink raw (unpasteurized) milk or eat foods that contain unpasteurized milk.

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