Is Fresh / unpasteurised juice safe during pregnancy?
Drinks
Avoid unless pasteurised or boiled
The US FDA says pregnant women should avoid all unpasteurised juices; the US CDC lists unpasteurised juice as a riskier choice unless it is brought to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute before drinking.[1,2,3,4,5]
What official sources say
US FDA: Fruits, Veggies and Juices (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be)
To prevent foodborne illness, only drink those juices that have been pasteurized or otherwise treated to kill harmful bacteria.
[1]Juices that are fresh-squeezed and sold by the glass, such as at farmer's markets, at roadside stands, or in some juice bars, may not be pasteurized, or otherwise treated to ensure their safety. Warning labels are not required on these products. Pregnant women and young children should avoid these juices.
[1]If you can't tell if a juice has been processed to destroy harmful bacteria, either don't use the product or boil it to kill any harmful bacteria.
[1]
US FDA: Eating Out & Bringing In (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be)
Pregnant women and young children should avoid all unpasteurized juices.
[2]
US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women
FSANZ: Listeria in food
- Avoid pre-prepared ready-to-eat foods, especially:
unpasteurised fruit juices
(advice for vulnerable people, including pregnant women)[4]
FSANZ: Food safety for vulnerable people
- Higher-risk foods:
Fruit juices - unpasteurised
(advice for vulnerable people, including pregnant women)[5]
Related general rules
ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024
- Fresh fruits are nutritionally better than freshly made fruit juices. (p. 47) (general-population advice, not specific to pregnancy)[6]
Sources
- US FDA: Fruits, Veggies and Juices (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be) · fda.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
- US FDA: Eating Out & Bringing In (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be) · fda.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
- US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women · cdc.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
- FSANZ: Listeria in food · foodstandards.gov.au. © Food Standards Australia New Zealand, licensed under CC BY 4.0; quoted. No endorsement implied.
- FSANZ: Food safety for vulnerable people · foodstandards.gov.au. © Food Standards Australia New Zealand, licensed under CC BY 4.0; quoted. No endorsement implied.
- ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 · nin.res.in. Printed page 47. Paraphrased and cited by printed page; the text is not reproduced.
Sources checked 26 September 2026.
Quotes are checked word for word against each source page, and paraphrases against the original text. Official bodies are named as sources only: none of them reviewed or endorses this page.
Educational information, not medical advice. Your own doctor or midwife may advise differently for you — follow their advice.