Argh...ate feta cheese. Paranoid.

[bababel]

Hello fellow third trimester-ers!

I wolfed down a Greek lunch from a Greek chain here in Canada called Jimmy the Greek. Without even thinking about it I ate all of the salad that was smothered in feta cheese. Only after I ate it did I realize that I had just eaten feta, which is a no-no.

I realize that all milk in Canada must be pasteurized but the sale of raw milk cheese is legal and I don't know if the feta was made out of pasteurized or unpasteurized milk. Should I be worried either way? Don't women in Europe continue to eat unpasteurized cheese and milk during pregnancy?

Am I overreacting here??

 

[veganmama]

jimmy the greek is a fast food joint so i'm pretty sure they are using the cheapest quality products for their food. pasteurized cheese is muuuch easier and cheaper to get then unpasteurized so i would put my money on it being pasteurized

 

[bababel]

jimmy the greek is a fast food joint so i'm pretty sure they are using the cheapest quality products for their food. pasteurized cheese is muuuch easier and cheaper to get then unpasteurized so i would put my money on it being pasteurized

Thank you for that. I figured the same. I also figured that since it's a fast food chain they would use the safest product and opt out for pasteurized anyway to avoid being sued. I just wish I had realized it at the time and asked for no cheese at all. So many rules to forget!

 

[Olivia_T]

Almost any chain restaurant and even non chain ones are almost assuredly going to use pasteurized ingredients because it minimizes their risk of a customer getting sick and suing etc.

Awhile back in my pregnancy, I started to eat a caesar salad from panera and then though YIKES, this caesar dressing might have raw egg in it! I emailed the company and they said they only used pasteurized products.

I will be willing to bet you're just fine

 

[AveryATL]

It is pasteurized. They aren't going to take the risk otherwise. I wouldn't stress about it at all.

 

[StranjeGirl]

I am in the US, but I haven't seen any feta here that is not pasteurized, so I bet the cheese was just fine. And remember, even it by chance it wasn't pasteurized, it doesn't mean you will get sick...it just means that there is a very very slim possibility! I wouldn't worry at all about it!

 

[Poppy Panda]

Wait, we aren't supposed to eat feta? I eat it like 5 times a week? O_O

 

[ozysanj]

As far as know feta is not a 'no-no'.I love it and have been eating it from the day1.
I don't know about Canada,but I think in UK they don't use unpasteurised cheese in catering,if you want unpasteurised cheese you can buy it from the markets.they don't serve them in food,in restaurants to cover their back in case customers are allergic or sth.
I think you will be fine as well.

 

[SabrinaKat]

be careful, tho, of blue cheese -- dominos uses it in their four-cheese pizza and it is NOT pasteurised. Usually feta is pasteurised (sp), and you can even get pastuerised brie, which I just discovered -- the food labels in the US/Canada are so much better than here in Ireland/UK.

As for poster who asked about Europeans eating cheese during pregnancy -- yes and no -- under EU law, all foods need to be labelled, and I know in Germany, pregnant women are advised about pasterurisation (sp), but the French do want they want!

best wishes

 

[pixeldust]

be careful, tho, of blue cheese -- dominos uses it in their four-cheese pizza and it is NOT pasteurised.

If its cooked, it's fine anyway. Unless you like your pizza uncooked

 

[snazz]

This same exact situation happened to me a few weeks ago...except mine was worse because I had horrible gastro virus the next day and was convinced that I had listeria.

What I did to ease my heart was call the restaurant I ate the feta cheese at and ask them if they used pasteurized vs unpasteurized feta cheese. I suggest you do that too if it's really bugging you.

Best of luck, and try not to worry!

 

[xdxxtx]

I thought feta was on the "allowed" list... Hmm, well, I've been enjoying it throughout this pregnancy! Haha

 

[sailorgirl1]

Feta cheese is fine xx

 

[catcatcat]

Ive been craving feta & eating it all pregnancy i wudnt b too worriedx