# Unpasteurised hard cheese



## encore (May 27, 2004)

Hi, can someone medically (or otherwise!!) qualified set me straight.  I am a lover of cheese and cured meats but so far have been very good in terms of avoiding them.  I know that unpasteurised cheese is a no no but hard cheese is ok.  What about an unpasteurised cheddar?  Is it ok b/c is it a hard cheese?  I'm so sick of that supermarket rubbish!  Every time I walk past the unpasteurised organic stuff at our local market fresh from the farm I just want to sink my teeth into a 20 kilo block....


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## Clover (Dec 17, 2004)

Hi Megan

I think in this country nowadays we take all this 'can eat' 'can't eat' a bit too seriously...look at our mothers.....they didn't do folic acid or half the do's and dont's we get recommended. 

I'm French and can assure you that I've eaten hard cheeses that are unpasturised and eaten parma ham, other cured meats and prawns etc etc. Whilst I wouldn't dream of eating a dodgy looking blue cheese, a soft unpasteurised or a liver pate....I'm sure that a little of what I enjoy is not going to harm baby. In the rest of Europe they continue to eat much of the stuff that is on our banned list...ever heard of a Frenchie giving up brie?!

Personally I'm more horrified that people continue to smoke and drink throughout pregnancy......surely much more harmful to baby?

This is just my personal opinion and I'm not medical! 

Love
Clover


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## encore (May 27, 2004)

thanks, but that wont convince my husband! i've done the french/cheese and the japanese/sushi argument.

Can anyone tell me if the process used to make hard cheese makes it ok, even if the milk is unpasteurised?  Ruth?


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## Ruth (Aug 6, 2004)

Unsure of the actual process but my gut instinct is to say avoid just in case any bacteria are still living in the cheese. Sorry!

Ruth


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## AussieMeg (Sep 5, 2004)

Meggles

DH says no to the cheese. It is the heat process in the pasteurisation that is required. The milk that is used in it's production is not boiled and so the bacteria can still survive. He tells me Grolsh beer as is also unpasteurised because for some reason he thinks that is relevant. I also foudn out that the FDA in the states has a ban on it because of listeria unless it has been stored above 35 degrees for more than 60days.

So looks like it is a no no

Love
Megan


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## Clover (Dec 17, 2004)

Megan

Thought this might help answer your question....it does seem that hard cheeses are okay

http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/asksam/agesandstages/pregnancy/

Love
Clover


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## Delores C (Dec 16, 2004)

Megan
Again - not a medical professional I'm afraid - and I possibly take a bit of a relaxed approach to what we can and can't eat.

However, I saw some unpasturized hard cheese the other day and didn't buy it.  Partly because you can't be sure of how it has been kept prior to it getting to you.  I think that the chances of anything happening are statistically fairly slim, and even if they do contain bacteria it is possible that more harm would come to you rather than baby - but only you can decide whether you are willing to take the chance, could you live with yourself IF something did happen?
Can you ask the deli person to recommend something with a similar taste but that is pasturized?
take care and all the best
DC


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## Mrs CW (Jul 12, 2004)

Hi 
I'm not medically qualified either but I've read in several books on nutrition and pregnancy that hard cheeses are OK, it's soft cheese that needs to be pasteurised and it's best to avoid pasteurised soft cheese too.  And no mould-ripened cheeses with an edible rind eg brie, camembert, pont l'eveque. Also you should avoid slightly more solid cheeses that don't grate easily and that are often coated with wax to preserve them - eg habarti, muenster, port salut, taleggio.  blue cheese is a total no-no.

But my book says
" the UK department of health says that the following cheeses are safe to eat: cheddar, parmesan, cornish yarg, red leicester; softer cheeses that do not have any mould or rind and are made from pasteurised milk eg cottage cheese, ricotta and mozzarella; processed cheese and cheese spreads" (yuck).

I'm a cheese lover too, and I'm being careful but not obsessive.  I'm currently craving cheese on toast and it makes the packet versions of good cheeses slightly more bearable when they're going a nice brown at the edges and covered in worcester sauce!!!

Claire x


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