Is it hard or is it soft? FETTA cheese - is it safe to eat during pregnancy?

[Megsy]

I can't figure out if Fetta cheese falls into the 'naughty' or 'nice' category.

Is it safe to eat ?

I have just found out a few days ago I am pregnant (6 wks today!) and I LOVE my cheeses! Philly is definately OK, isn't it?

[AnyDream]

If you google Listeria and Food Standards Australia it will take you to their brochure on what is high risk and the safer alternatives.

Unfortunately Feta is high risk - unless you cook it in something, but Philly is fine.

[Pandora]

It all depends who you ask, and where the cheese was made.
My doctor told me that if its made in Australia, and therefore pasteurised, its OK to ate, but I was super paranoid and avoided it anyway. A lot of soft cheese is imported though so it would probably not be pasteurised in that case
Philly is fine as Marydean said.

[Ambah]

I have heard that Feta is on the 'unsafe' list... especially if you buy it from the deli, it is sitting near to all the cold meats etc which also may harbour listeria... I personally am going to avoid it.

Philly is perfectly fine though!

[Kristin27]

Hi,

Is it okay to have feta if it's cooked? I was going to add it to a pasta dish??

[feeb]

Feta cooked is fine. As long as cooked and not just slightly warmed

[~Saram~]

Fetta is one of those hard to pick ones. If you are desperate, look for an Australian Fetta that is prepackaged. Steer clear of the ones in the window as you don't know how well they have been cared for and ofen the assistants can't tell you where it is from. Something interesting to note is that if you eat a lot of soft cheese and deli foods it is possible that you have already had listeria and have the antibodies to fight it anyway, but I think we are all in the same boat in that we would rather not risk it.

[suse]

Oh poop... I've been avoiding nearly every other cheese for the last 39 weeks and NOW I find out that fetta is on the 'bad' list. What a complete muppet I am...

I too was told that the prepackaged, Aus. ones were OK because they were pasteurised. At least I've only ever eaten it 'at home' and not in restaurants, etc.

Darn, darn, darn...

[Tobily]

Fetta cheese is fine if it's pasturised, which fetta sold in the supermarket is. I would buy the prepackaged ones.

I'd steer clear of anything from a deli cabinet - whether cheese, meat or anything else - just because there's no way of knowing how fresh it is.

[mgm]

I've also been told the pre-packaged feta's OK, provided you eat it while it's reasonably fresh. But being super-paranoid I've avoided that too...

[dusty]

megsy, a helpful hint hopefully, is if you like feta as much as i do, and it sounds like you do... i love to bake a whole slab of it in alfoil in the oven and then mix it through couscous or whatever you are making. you can also have it on bread as a starter. the fatter the feta the better it is baked. depending on the feta you buy, it can go a bit goey but keep its shape and gets a bit of a baked skin that is sooo yummy.
i can't imagine not eating feta even when i am pg so cooking it may be the best way to go.

a lot of fetas you can buy are in plastic packaging in the dairy section which has never been near meat so perhaps the risk would be lower with those bought in a deli.

ETA: bake it at any temp but i do it about 180C for anywhere from 30mins to 1 hour. all fetas respond differently but that is part of the fun!

[alittlegrubi]

I would only eat the fetta cold on the initial opening of the package within 24 hours - after that cooked or throw it out. I eat cooked fetta the whole way through the first pg without a problem.

[Caz1971]

Wot abt pastizzi's - fetta and spinach? I am so craving these but too scared to eat them. Its baked in the oven.

[alittlegrubi]

I'd eat it, if you are a little concerned - zap it in the microwave first.

[Nadine216]

Just read a baby mag yesterday - Feta is fine when pasturised and before it's "best-before-date"
I had Feta through my pg, I am a Feta nut, gruppy little feta paws . Bought small tubs and threw it away after 10 days open in the fridge.

[blackstar]

There is a comprehensive list of what you should avoid and what is safe at Eating cheese during pregnancy

It says there that feta is OK. When I buy fetta, I just make sure it's pasteurised. Also, I think goats milk is slightly more risky than cows milk, so you could always get cows milk fetta....

[Nicole Tracy]

To be safe, I tend to agree on recommending pre-packaged aussie fetta. To be extra safe, you can cook it, but all Australian fetta is pasteurised, so it is safe for pregnancy. I would definitely avoid fetta from deli's containing meat products - way to risky in preg. And Caz - pastizzi's are fine Enjoy

[SSmiles]

It's funny...a friend & I were just talking about this the other day... I've always been told that feta is out while pregnant but she's always thought the opposite...so she asked her OBS when she saw him last and he said it is okay as long as it's Australian feta...apparently ALL Australian cheese is pasturised and is okay but imported is not guaranteed...

Anyway, I've only got 14 weeks to go (she's got 20) so I'll stick it out for that much longer...