# Gruyère???



## Kasia (May 25, 2005)

Hi!

May I ask a question about Gruyère cheese? This might sound a bit stupid - so I apologise in advance! I've been off cheese for weeks now and have only just been able to face it again. However, the only kind I want to eat (apart from Brie and blue cheese!) is Gruyère. I thought Gruyère was safe to eat but just looked at the packet and saw it was made of unpasteurised milk. So, is is safe? I suppose it's soft and blue cheeses made from unpasteurised milk that could contain listeria, but I'm now not sure. Can anyone confirm Gruyère is safe to eat, even if it is made from unpasteurised milk? 

Many thanks in advance!


Kasia


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## jan27 (Aug 19, 2005)

Hi

Sorry to say you should not have any dairy including cheese which is not pasteurised.
You'll have to do with some experimenting with different pastuerised cheeses!.

Jan


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## Kasia (May 25, 2005)

Thanks for your reply, Jan. Now you have got me worried. I've been eating it all week - and had some more Gruyère today, bought at Tesco. However, I don't know if it is made with pasteurised milk or not - it was cut from a block at the cold counter. What should I do? Should I see the doctor as soon as possible? I've read that Gruyère is safe in many places, so I'm confused. 

I also read online that even if a cheese is made with unpasteurised milk, if it's hard cheese - like Gruyère, Emmental or Cheddar - it's very unlikely to have listeria because it's hard for the bacteria to grow as it's too dry, too high in salt and low in pH. I hope that's right anyway.

I've got a bit of a cold coming on right now and am worried this might be listeriosis. Wish I could stop worrying.

Thanks again for your help,


Kasia


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## emilycaitlin (Mar 7, 2006)

Hi,

I don't think you need to see a dr about it, they wouldn't really do anything.  You will be having your anomoly scan shortly I presume, and that will help to put your mind at rest.

The only thing I would say about the cheese is that if you are in any doubt whatsoever, and feel worried, just leave it.  You will KNOW that everything is ok then

emilycaitlin xx


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## Kasia (May 25, 2005)

Hi Emilycaitlin,

Many thanks for your reply. I've been worried all night about this and could hardly sleep. I have an anomaly scan at the end of the month, but want to be sure everything is alright before that. I thought the GP might be able to do a blood test, which might put my mind at rest.

Today I feel quite ill - but it could be quite unrelated. I just read on a government food standards agency website that 'There is no listeria risk with cottage cheese, processed cheese or hard cheeses (such as Cheddar), even if they are unpasteurised, so there is no need to avoid these'. This confuses me even more. Why would they say things like that - and on other sites they actually say Gruyère is safe - if it weren't?

I apologise for obsessing about this - but I am very worried and can't get it out of my head at the moment.

Anyway, I'm going to avoid all cheese for the time being.

Thanks for your help,



Kasia


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## emilycaitlin (Mar 7, 2006)

Hi,

I can't think of a blood test that your GP could do.  You are past the development stage, so eating it will not have affected any limbs or organs etc.  I feel that you are probably feeling ill because of all the worrying and not sleeping, which will not be helping your baby.

Please try and relax, I'm really sure that everything is ok,

emilycaitlin xx


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