Can you eat halloumi when pregnant?

Find out if it's safe to eat halloumi cheese during pregnancy, plus precautions to take to keep you and your baby healthy.

The official advice on eating halloumi cheese in pregnancy

Good news, halloumi is safe to eat during pregnancy. You can eat it cooked or raw.

As long as it's made from pasteurised milk, the NHS says it's safe to eat halloumi cheese, which can be made from sheep's, goat's or cow's milk. This is because the process of pasteurising kills off any harmful bacteria.

Unpasteurised soft cheeses may contain the bacteria listeria, which, in rare cases, can cause an infection called listeriosis. Listeriosis can make your unborn baby very unwell and may lead to miscarriage or stillbirth.

Most halloumi sold in UK shops is pasteurised. If you come across unpasteurised halloumi while you're pregnant, you should only eat it if it's thoroughly cooked. Cooking kills off the listeria bacteria, making it safe to eat.

Delicious halloumi recipes

Love halloumi? Why not try one of these great pregnancy-safe recipes?

Halloumi with warm lentil salad

Mediterranean halloumi traybake

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We like The Whole 9 Months, a week-by-week pregnancy nutrition guide, packed full of recipes and medical advice. See more details here at Amazon.

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Looking for more pregnancy diet info? Check out our articles below, or swap tips with other mums-to-be in our forum.

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