Pregnant and mozzarella
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Mozzarella is an Italian cheese that can be eaten hot or cold. Since it is a soft cheese, there are many women who doubt whether it is safe to eat during pregnancy. Soft cheeses made from raw milk can contain the dangerous Listeria bacteria for pregnant women. Contamination with this bacteria during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage. But does this also apply to mozzarella? And is mozzarella made from buffalo milk more risky than mozzarella made from cow's milk?
Mozzarella during pregnancy
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Fresh mozzarella is almost always safe to eat during pregnancy, because the cheese is sufficiently heated during preparation. Mozzarella made from raw milk is also heated, so that this cheese can also be eaten. It does not matter whether the mozzarella is made from buffalo milk or from cow's milk. It is important to eat the mozzarella as fresh as possible during pregnancy. There is always a small chance of a post-contamination which can grow into large quantities after a longer period of time. Mozzarella for pizzas is often ripened a bit longer, but because this variety is often heated in the oven before use, any contamination will still be killed.