Dying for some brie!

[annablue]

I would kill for some brie right now. With some warm French bread... mmm! However, I casually mentioned my craving to my mother and she absolutely freaked out on me. I know you're not "supposed" to eat soft cheeses while pregnant, but is it really that dangerous? I just get frustrated being told what I can and can't eat, what I can and can't do, and that if I go against those guidelines I'm a horrible mother and the worst will happen to my baby.

[2sweetboysmom]

I've eaten blue cheese on several occasions this pregnancy.
There are sooooo many potential sources for listeria. I have just eaten what I want in moderation, and purchased it from trusted sources. If I knew a good sushi place locally I would have continued to eat sushi too!

[miso_soup]

My understanding is, it's fine to eat brie (or any soft cheese, in fact) as long as it's made from pasteurized milk. Some research suggests that the risk of contracting listeria from consuming unpasteurized (i.e. - raw) milk products is slightly elevated in pregnant women, but still extremely uncommon. Conventional medicine would probably have you avoid any unpasteurized product during pregnancy, but I do know several pregnant women on this board who are big advocates of raw milk - so it's really a case of what you're comfortable with, I think.

If you're still a bit nervous about eating brie - even the pasteurized variety - I would suggest heating it in the oven. This will kill any potential bacteria, and is also absolutely mouth-wateringly delicious on fresh bread with a fruit chutney!

[MissMorgan]

I.. am going to say EAT IT. Some others will chime in and say don't. But ya know, at first I was super careful. Oh no raw eggs, no deli meats, no soft cheese, etc.. But now I only eat my eggs over easy, i'd totally eat sushi any day of the week, and I wouldn't bat an eye at eating brie.
I think that so many books and guides make us totally paranoid when its not necessary. You know your pregnant French counterpart is enjoying a lovely crusty piece of bread with brie RIGHT NOW.. hehe.

[SeattleRain]

Originally Posted by miso_soup

My understanding is, it's fine to eat brie (or any soft cheese, in fact) as long as it's made from pasteurized milk. Some research suggests that the risk of contracting listeria from consuming unpasteurized (i.e. - raw) milk products is slightly elevated in pregnant women, but still extremely uncommon. Conventional medicine would probably have you avoid any unpasteurized product during pregnancy, but I do know several pregnant women on this board who are big advocates of raw milk - so it's really a case of what you're comfortable with, I think.

If you're still a bit nervous about eating brie - even the pasteurized variety - I would suggest heating it in the oven. This will kill any potential bacteria, and is also absolutely mouth-wateringly delicious on fresh bread with a fruit chutney!

[Monarchgrrl]

I eat brie all the time (on french bread with dried cranberries on top. Yum!). My midwives think it's great and even suggest raw milk and raw cheese (and sushi!) but I don't like high fat milk at all so I won't drink it. They say the only thing to avoid in pregnancy is anything I don't feel like eating (and tons of processed food and sugar).

[lunarlady]

The concern is, of course, bacterial contamination. There are two sources: one, from the milk itself if the cheese is unpasteurized. Two, from the use of unclean tools used to cut the cheese. Soft cheeses are just a little easier for bacteria to grow in. That said, I totally eat brie when pregnant. I just buy pasteurized cheese and I buy a whole baby brie rather than a cut wedge. Then the risk is super duper low. Yes, it is more cheese, but all in the name of safety, right? If you are still feeling nervous, make a baked brie. Heating will kill any bacteria in the cheese making it unquestionably safe for you to consume.

[mediumcrunch]

You are not supposed to eat UNPASTEURIZED soft-cheeses. It is nearly impossible to purchase unpasteurized soft cheese in the US unless you are buying a local homemade cheese. Eat pasteurized, in code, brie and enjoy yourself.

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

Originally Posted by mediumcrunch

You are not supposed to eat UNPASTEURIZED soft-cheeses. It is nearly impossible to purchase unpasteurized soft cheese in the US unless you are buying a local homemade cheese. Eat pasteurized, in code, brie and enjoy yourself.

THIS. My mother works as a buyer for the specialty cheese shoppe for Wegmans. She gets samples from vendors all the time. I ate like a queen during both pregnancies.

[wondertwins]

The only kind of brie I can find in my little town is pasteurized, so I think it might be more common than unpasteurized. Honestly, I didn't even think twice about eating soft cheeses until about a week ago, and so far so good!

If you are thinking of heating the brie, I have an awesome "recipe" (in quotes because it's so simple I don't think of it as a recipe). Cut the rind off the brie, cover it with a thawed filo dough sheet, paint it thoroughly with melted butter, turn over and repeat. Do this with 8-10 sheets and then bake for 15 min on 350. DH and I get rave reviews every time we bring this to any occasions and feel a bit chagrined because of the lack of effort. My sister tops hers with brown sugar and eats it with pears.

Good luck, I find myself mostly perusing this board and a couple of UK boards. They just seem much more lax on the "don'ts" during pregnancy.

[MaerynPearl]

I love love love love looooove soft cheeses on my salads (especially blue cheese)

And I love brie but my personal preference for it is baked (nothing to do with lysteria, its just how I like it) so it wouldn't matter for me anyway!

[rhiOrion]

i'll just add to the PPs comments of EAT IT! It's almost impossible to buy unpasteurized cheese accidentally in the US. And brie is better when it's hot, anyhow.

[butterflies]

Was going to say the same thing. dh had some unpasteurized cheese abroad and is always on the lookout to buy it here. Nearly impossible!

I pay more attention to how the food is prepared but as long as it's from a very clean, trusted establishment I'll eat soft cheese, sushi, etc.

[mataji4]

I eat soft cheeses that are unpasteurized, made locally by farmers I know. I eat brie from the store. YUM!!!

[~Adorkable~]

Originally Posted by lunarlady

The concern is, of course, bacterial contamination. There are two sources: one, from the milk itself if the cheese is unpasteurized. Two, from the use of unclean tools used to cut the cheese. Soft cheeses are just a little easier for bacteria to grow in. That said, I totally eat brie when pregnant. I just buy pasteurized cheese and I buy a whole baby brie rather than a cut wedge. Then the risk is super duper low. Yes, it is more cheese, but all in the name of safety, right? If you are still feeling nervous, make a baked brie. Heating will kill any bacteria in the cheese making it unquestionably safe for you to consume.

buying the whole round of cheese is a great idea, that certainly does take care of one of the issues really well, and as folks have said you would have to really work to find unpasteurized brie in the states.

as for the heating, remember that unless it gets to something like 160 or somewhere like that the heating will have little effect on anything, so if you are worried, dont count on warming it to just soft, you would have to do more than that.

mind you i think that store bought keep cold and clean brie is perfectly safe for all but the most fragile of systems.

[lynsage]

It is close to impossible to find unpasteurized Brie in the United States. Pasteurized Brie is perfectly safe. Go for it, and send me some

[pumpkinhead]

Wrap that puppy in puffed pastry, bake it til it's bubbly, top with some raspberry perserves and go to town! Or what everyone else said

[mediumcrunch]

Originally Posted by Barbie64g

THIS. My mother works as a buyer for the specialty cheese shoppe for Wegmans. She gets samples from vendors all the time. I ate like a queen during both pregnancies.

I Wegman's. Dh used to work there, not for them but for an in house broker. Loved living in Rochester (Irondequoit techinically). Had a great birth there too.

Back to regular scheduled programing.......

[~Charlie's~Angel~]

Originally Posted by mediumcrunch

I Wegman's. Dh used to work there, not for them but for an in house broker. Loved living in Rochester (Irondequoit techinically). Had a great birth there too.

Back to regular scheduled programing.......

ok, small world! Totally off topic, but my best friend in the whole world lives in New Braunfels. OK, had to throw that in.

[rhiOrion]

Originally Posted by mediumcrunch

I Wegman's. Dh used to work there, not for them but for an in house broker. Loved living in Rochester (Irondequoit techinically). Had a great birth there too.

Back to regular scheduled programing.......

When I lived in Rochester (Henrietta, technically) I always said that I missed Harris Teeter from back home (NC), and how much better HT was. Then I moved back to NC and realized just how much better Wegmans was!!

(sorry to thread derail)