I ate smoked salmon! Am I bad?

[PGNPORTLAND]

so I just got back from visiting the future grandparents (my parents in) in nyc and, as usual brought back bagels and smoked salmon. this morning I was so happy to be able to eat it as I havn't wanted any fishy or meaty things for about a month and then I freaked out cause I started wondering if it could be bad for the baby because of listeria. sooo interet said several different things so I am asking you ladies what you think. Is this one time going to hurt the baby. would it be okay to have it sparingly? (I have a bunch but I can share with non pregnant people) thank you!

[KoalaMommy]

I personally think the american medical establishment has gone a little over the top with their eating recommendations. I think listeria is the problem with cold smoked salmon. It's also an issue with cold cuts or anything you might buy at the grocery store deli (like potato salad) or even keep in your own fridge that you wouldn't cook before eating. I think the actual cases of miscarriage due to listeria are pretty few and far between. So you could 1) stress out over something that you can't do anything about at this point or 2) be glad you enjoyed your salmon and think about whether or not you want to do it again sometime when you're feeling daring.

My no-no is brie. I LOVE it and I just bought some and I WILL eat it!! Same concern there, but I'm not really worried. I started letting myself eat brie in the last trimester last time, and I don't regret it at all.

[beanbean]

Koala, Brie is fine if it's pasturized! I'm so glad, becaue I love it too!

If you still had concerns, you can prepare it my favorite way (cooking kills listeria):

Slice wheel of brie in half horizontally.
Spread middle with apricot preserves (or pesto, or sundried tomatoes, or raspberry jam)
Wrap whole thing in sheet of thawed puff pastry (seal it well)
Bake on parchment or a silpat according to pastry package directions until pastry is golden.

Serve with french bread! Yum!

[katja]

Oh my gosh, beanbean--I ate that once, and it was the most decadent thing I have ever eaten. So decadent that I decided that once is enough for a lifetime! Really super delicious (Sort of like Julia Child's chicken fricasee. Try it and you'll know what I mean.)

I agree with the pps. I did eat smoked salmon when I was pg w/dd, and soft cheeses, and other no-nos, including half a beer here and there. I just think it is too hard to comply with all the rules w/out feeling like just a vessel for a baby. DD is healthy, beautiful, and smart, and with this pg I think I'll be similarly moderate with things. (Although I'm not craving beer this pg like I was with the last one.) Try not to fret. Smoked salmon is full of great stuff.

[musemor]

I'm glad to hear someone say that brie is okay if it's pasteurized. I asked my doctor specifically if pasteurized soft cheeses were okay, and she said no. I have been eyeing this log of amaaazing goat cheese in my fridge with great resentment. Of course I was eating goat cheese almost every day up until week 10, but it's so hard to eat it after my OB said not to do it. I guess I am an authority-pleaser.

PGNPORTLAND, if you don't have any symptoms since you've eaten the smoked salmon, you didn't get listeriosis and you don't need to worry. The USDA specifically says not to eat smoked seafood unless it's part of a cooked dish. However, I've read that even though your chances of getting listeriosis during pregnancy are greatly magnified, they're still slim. The chance of a person in the US contracting listeriosis is 1 in 108,800. The chance of a pregnant person contracting listeriosis is roughly 20 times that, or about 1 in 5500. That is a .01% chance of getting the disease. I believe that it's up to you and your family to decide what is an acceptable level of risk.

[iamama]

in my 3rd tri I had a bagel with cream cheese, smoked salmon, advocado, sprouts tomato and onion and it was sooo yummy!! I say enjoy your salmon in moderation! I personally would be more concerned if it were wild or farmed. Farmed salmon can be super funky stuff. and i don't mean funky in a good way.

enjoy your pregnancy!!

[musemor]

Originally Posted by iamama

in my 3rd tri I had a bagel with cream cheese, smoked salmon, advocado, sprouts tomato and onion and it was sooo yummy!!

@#)(!*@#)(!*#@)*(! YOU ARE GIVING ME A CRAVING!

[KoalaMommy]

Listen, the whole soft cheese thing is a load of bull if you ask me. Women in France have been eating unpasturized soft cheeses for centuries (and drinking a glass of wine a day) and it seems like they still have healthy babies. I'm telling you all now, the whole listeria thing is blown way out of proportion. Of course, your doc would never agree with me. And if you're really worried, you should avoid just about everything!

[PGNPORTLAND]

thanks ladies

thanks you guys, I think I will have another smoked salmon sandwich today. I thought it over and in addition to it being delicious it is the only meat food that I want right now. I havn't eaten any meat in about a month and I have developed very swollen and sore gums which I think might be connect. plus I have heard that the oily fish is very good for growing babies. I just have alot of non-pregnant friends who are giving me black and white advice like don't eat any fish at all and since this is my first pregnancy I am a little paranoid. I also have some pasterized brie in my fridge. I am going home right after this, buying an avacado and having a lovely little meal. thanks again

[EllasMama]

I agree that the listeria risk has probably been blown out of proportion...however, for me it's really not a hard change to make during pregnancy to avoid most of the items. Lunch meat is the only thing I find hard to go without due to its convenience. I LOVE soft cheese, but I also love hard and medium cheese, so that's doable. I did miss blue cheese dressing last time. I don't like smoked seafood at all so that's no loss. I do like cooked seafood but avoid the high mercury items.

In case you're interested, here are the CDC recommendations for preventing listeria:

"Recommendations for persons at high risk, such as pregnant women, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems, in addition to the recommendations listed above:

• Do not eat hot dogs, deli meats, or luncheon meats unless they are reheated until steaming hot.
• Avoid getting fluid from hot dog packages on other foods, utensils, and food preparation surfaces, and wash hands after handling hot dogs, deli meats, and luncheon meats.
• Do not eat soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, and Camembert, blue-veined cheeses, or Mexican-style cheeses such as queso blanco, queso fresco, and Panela unless they have labels that clearly state they are made from pasteurized milk.
• Do not drink unpasteurized (raw) milk and do not eat foods that contain unpasteurized milk.
• Do not eat refrigerated pâtés or meat spreads. Canned or shelf-stable pâtés and meat spreads may be eaten.
• Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood unless it is an ingredient in a cooked dish, such as a casserole. Examples of refrigerated smoked seafood include salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna or mackerel labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked," or "jerky." This seafood is found in the refrigerated section or sold at deli counters of grocery stores and delicatessens. Canned or shelf-stable smoked seafood may be eaten."

And here are the internal food temperatures you want to reach when heating/reheating foods:

Chicken 165-180 F
Egg Dishes 160 F
Ground Meat 160-165 F
Beef Medium well 160 F
Beef Well Done 170 F (not reccomended to eat any meat cooked rare)
Pork 160-170 F
Ham (raw) 160 F
Ham (precooked) 140 F