What foods should you avoid while pregnant?

FDA, FoodSafety.gov and ACOG say to skip seven high-mercury fish (such as swordfish, shark and king mackerel), raw or undercooked seafood, eggs and meat, unpasteurized milk and juice, queso fresco-type cheeses, refrigerated smoked seafood and pâté, premade deli salads, raw sprouts and raw dough. Deli meats and hot dogs can be eaten once reheated to 165°F (74°C) or until steaming hot.

The food poisoning parts of this list (Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli) also matter for anyone at higher risk of foodborne illness: adults 65 and older, young children and people with weakened immune systems. CDC says more than half of all Listeria infections occur in people 65 and older. If your doctor gave you a specific diet, follow it.

The list at a glance

Food	Skip	Safe version	Source
High-mercury fish	Bigeye tuna, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tilefish	8 to 12 oz a week of lower-mercury fish. Albacore tuna up to 6 oz a week	ACOG, FDA
Raw seafood	Sushi or sashimi with raw fish, ceviche, raw oysters	Seafood cooked to 145°F (63°C)	ACOG, FDA, FoodSafety.gov
Smoked seafood	Refrigerated smoked fish and seafood	Canned or shelf-stable smoked fish, or smoked fish in a cooked dish	FoodSafety.gov, FDA
Deli meats and hot dogs	Eaten cold, straight from the package	Reheated to 165°F (74°C) or steaming hot	CDC, FoodSafety.gov
Pâté and meat spreads	Refrigerated, from the deli counter or fridge case	Canned or shelf-stable jars and pouches	FoodSafety.gov
Deli salads	Premade ham, chicken, tuna, seafood, potato salad or coleslaw	No premade version is named as safe	FoodSafety.gov, CDC
Milk and dairy	Unpasteurized (raw) milk, yogurt and ice cream	Pasteurized milk and milk products	FoodSafety.gov
Soft cheese	Unheated queso fresco, queso blanco, requesón, even if pasteurized	Pasteurized hard cheeses, cottage cheese, cream cheese, string cheese, feta, mozzarella	FoodSafety.gov, CDC
Juice and cider	Unpasteurized or fresh-squeezed juice and cider	Pasteurized, or brought to a rolling boil for 1 minute	FoodSafety.gov
Eggs	Runny or undercooked eggs	Yolks and whites firm, egg dishes to 160°F (71°C)	FoodSafety.gov
Meat and poultry	Undercooked or rare meat and poultry	Thoroughly cooked, ground beef to at least 160°F	FoodSafety.gov, FDA
Sprouts	Raw or lightly cooked alfalfa, clover, mung bean, radish sprouts	Cooked thoroughly	FoodSafety.gov
Raw dough and batter	Raw cookie dough, cake mix, batter	Baked or cooked first	FDA

Summary of the agency positions quoted below. Temperatures are internal temperatures checked with a food thermometer.

What ACOG, FDA and other agencies say

What to avoid

Level E ACOG: Do not eat bigeye tuna, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, or tilefish. ACOG, Nutrition During Pregnancy (FAQ), accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FDA: So, individuals who could become or are pregnant or breastfeeding and young children should avoid these seven fish. FDA, Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E ACOG: You should also avoid raw fish and shellfish, including sushi. Raw fish has a higher risk of making you sick. ACOG, Nutrition During Pregnancy (FAQ), accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FDA: Raw oysters, even if they are treated after they have been harvested. FDA, Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FoodSafety.gov: Refrigerated smoked seafood presents a real threat of Listeria. FoodSafety.gov, People at Risk: Pregnant Women, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E CDC: Unheated deli meat, cold cuts, hot dogs, and fermented or dry sausages CDC, Preventing Listeria Infection, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FoodSafety.gov: Do not eat refrigerated pâtés or meat spreads from a deli or meat counter, or from the refrigerated section of a store. They can contain Listeria. FoodSafety.gov, People at Risk: Pregnant Women, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FoodSafety.gov: Don’t buy or eat premade ham salad, chicken salad, or seafood salad which may contain Listeria. FoodSafety.gov, People at Risk: Pregnant Women, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E CDC: Premade deli salads, such as coleslaw and potato, tuna, or chicken salad CDC, Preventing Listeria Infection, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FoodSafety.gov: To avoid getting these foodborne illnesses, only consume pasteurized milk and milk products, including yogurt and ice cream. FoodSafety.gov, People at Risk: Pregnant Women, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FoodSafety.gov: Any unheated queso fresco-type cheeses, when made with pasteurized or unpasteurized (raw) milk, or similar fresh, soft cheeses such as queso blanco and requesón FoodSafety.gov, People at Risk: Pregnant Women, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FoodSafety.gov: Unpasteurized juice, even fresh-squeezed juice, and cider can cause foodborne illness. FoodSafety.gov, People at Risk: Pregnant Women, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FoodSafety.gov: Raw or undercooked sprouts, such as alfalfa, clover, mung bean, and radish may contain E. coli or Salmonella. Cook sprouts thoroughly. FoodSafety.gov, People at Risk: Pregnant Women, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FDA: Do not eat any raw cookie dough, cake mix, batter, or any other raw dough or batter product that is supposed to be cooked or baked. FDA, Food Safety for Pregnant Women and Their Unborn Babies, accessed 2026-10-12

Amounts and limits

Level E FDA: Those who are pregnant or breastfeeding consume between 8 and 12 ounces per week of a variety of seafood from choices that are lower in mercury. FDA, Food Safety for Pregnant Women and Their Unborn Babies, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E ACOG: Limit white (albacore) tuna to only 6 oz a week. ACOG, Nutrition During Pregnancy (FAQ), accessed 2026-10-12

What makes it safe

Level E FoodSafety.gov: All seafood dishes should be cooked to 145°F (63°C). FoodSafety.gov, People at Risk: Pregnant Women, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FoodSafety.gov: It is OK to eat smoked seafood during pregnancy if it is canned, shelf stable, or an ingredient in a casserole or other cooked dish. FoodSafety.gov, People at Risk: Pregnant Women, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FoodSafety.gov: Reheat these meats to steaming hot or 165°F (74°C) before eating, even though the label says precooked. FoodSafety.gov, People at Risk: Pregnant Women, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FoodSafety.gov: To prevent infection, either choose a pasteurized version or bring unpasteurized juice or cider to a rolling boil and boil for at least 1 minute before drinking. FoodSafety.gov, People at Risk: Pregnant Women, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FoodSafety.gov: Undercooked eggs may contain Salmonella. Cook eggs until the yolks and whites are firm to kill germs. FoodSafety.gov, People at Risk: Pregnant Women, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FoodSafety.gov: If you are making a casserole or other dish containing eggs, make sure the dish is cooked to a temperature of 160°F (71°C). FoodSafety.gov, People at Risk: Pregnant Women, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FoodSafety.gov: All meat and poultry should be thoroughly cooked before eating. FoodSafety.gov, People at Risk: Pregnant Women, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FDA: Cook ground beef to at least 160ºF FDA, Food Safety for Pregnant Women and Their Unborn Babies, accessed 2026-10-12

What to choose

Level E FoodSafety.gov: Meat spreads and pâté that do not need refrigeration before opening, such as products in cans, jars, or sealed pouches, are a safer choice. FoodSafety.gov, People at Risk: Pregnant Women, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FoodSafety.gov: Hard cheeses, when made with pasteurized milk, such as Asiago, Cheddar, Parmesan, or Swiss/Gruyere/Emmental FoodSafety.gov, People at Risk: Pregnant Women, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E FoodSafety.gov: Cottage cheese, cream cheese, string cheese, feta, and mozzarella, when made with pasteurized milk FoodSafety.gov, People at Risk: Pregnant Women, accessed 2026-10-12

Good to know

Level E FDA: About one-third of listeriosis cases happen during pregnancy. FDA, Food Safety for Pregnant Women and Their Unborn Babies, accessed 2026-10-12
Level E CDC: More than half of all Listeria infections occur among people 65 years and older. CDC, People at Risk for Listeria Infection, accessed 2026-10-12

Text in quotation marks is word for word from the official source. Level E means the position of an expert body or a drug label. How we grade evidence.

What studies found

Evidence behind the advice

Level C Of 58 US listeriosis outbreaks in 1998 to 2014, 17 were linked to soft cheese, causing 180 illnesses, 14 fetal losses and 17 deaths, and 44% of cases with data were pregnancy-associated. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2018 (Jackson et al.)
Level C In a 2000 North Carolina listeriosis outbreak traced to cheese made from raw milk, 11 of 13 patients were pregnant, with 5 stillbirths, and eating queso fresco carried 7.3 times the odds of infection. Clin Infect Dis, 2005
Level C In a 2002 US multistate listeriosis outbreak, patients had higher odds of eating deli turkey breast (OR 4.5), and 3 pregnant women had fetal deaths. Clin Infect Dis, 2006
Level C A US listeriosis outbreak in pregnant Hispanic women was traced to Mexican-style cheese made from pasteurized milk, so pasteurization alone did not prevent it. J Food Prot, 2011

The other side and the limits

Level C After the 2011 Listeria outbreak traced to cantaloupe, an estimated 6,500 to 12,000 pregnant women in Colorado had eaten the recalled melons, and exactly one pregnancy-associated case followed, an attack rate near 1 per 10,000 exposed. Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol, 2015
Level A A 2018 Cochrane review found omega-3 in pregnancy cut preterm birth by 11% and early preterm birth before 34 weeks by 42%, with high-quality evidence. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2018

Levels: A is a meta-analysis of trials, B a randomized trial, C an observational study, D lab work or case reports, E an expert position. How we grade evidence.

In practice

Most items on the list have a safe version. Heat deli meat and hot dogs to 165°F (74°C) or until steaming. Pick cheeses made with pasteurized milk from the safe list, such as cheddar, mozzarella and cottage cheese. Choose canned or shelf-stable smoked fish over refrigerated lox. Cook eggs until the yolks and whites are firm.

Queso fresco is the exception that surprises people. FoodSafety.gov lists unheated queso fresco-type cheeses even when they are made with pasteurized milk, and a US outbreak below was traced to such a cheese.

Do not drop fish entirely. FDA advises 8 to 12 oz a week of lower-mercury fish, and a Cochrane review of omega-3 from supplements or foods found fewer preterm births. Drinks are not in the table but they matter: CDC says there is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy, and FDA suggests asking your health care provider whether to limit caffeine.

If you already ate something on this list, call your prenatal care team, who can tell you what to watch for. In the cantaloupe outbreak below, about 1 in 10,000 exposed pregnant women got sick, but that one estimate does not mean every food carries the same low risk.

Evidence behind this note

Level C Of 58 US listeriosis outbreaks in 1998 to 2014, 17 were linked to soft cheese, causing 180 illnesses, 14 fetal losses and 17 deaths, and 44% of cases with data were pregnancy-associated. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2018 (Jackson et al.)
Level C A US listeriosis outbreak in pregnant Hispanic women was traced to Mexican-style cheese made from pasteurized milk, so pasteurization alone did not prevent it. J Food Prot, 2011
Level A A 2018 Cochrane review found omega-3 in pregnancy cut preterm birth by 11% and early preterm birth before 34 weeks by 42%, with high-quality evidence. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2018
Level E The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that no amount of alcohol is known to be safe in pregnancy and that no point in pregnancy is safe for drinking. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, About Alcohol Use During Pregnancy
Level E The FDA says people who are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding, or who take some medicines, should ask a clinician whether to limit caffeine. US Food and Drug Administration, Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine is Too Much? (consumer update)
Level C After the 2011 Listeria outbreak traced to cantaloupe, an estimated 6,500 to 12,000 pregnant women in Colorado had eaten the recalled melons, and exactly one pregnancy-associated case followed, an attack rate near 1 per 10,000 exposed. Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol, 2015

Written from the positions and data on this page, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.

Keep exploring

Sources

ACOG, Nutrition During Pregnancy (FAQ), https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/healthy-eating-during-pregnancy (accessed 2026-10-12)
FDA, Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely, https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/selecting-and-serving-fresh-and-frozen-seafood-safely (accessed 2026-10-12)
FDA, Food Safety for Pregnant Women and Their Unborn Babies, https://www.fda.gov/media/83740/download (accessed 2026-10-12)
FoodSafety.gov, People at Risk: Pregnant Women, https://www.foodsafety.gov/people-at-risk/pregnant-women (accessed 2026-10-12)
CDC, Preventing Listeria Infection, https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/prevention/index.html (accessed 2026-10-12)
CDC, People at Risk for Listeria Infection, https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/risk-factors/index.html (accessed 2026-10-12)
Evidence cards: each study above links to its source. Card review dates are listed in our methodology.

Agency pages checked 2026-10-12. Bioma Learn provides information, not medical advice.