Is Mayonnaise safe during pregnancy?

Eggs

Commercial mayonnaise is safe; homemade needs care

The US FDA says commercial mayonnaise uses pasteurised egg and is safe, but homemade mayonnaise should be avoided; the NHS accepts raw-egg mayonnaise only if made with British Lion or Laid in Britain eggs.[1,2,3]

What official sources say

NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy

  • Eggs › Safe to eat: Foods made with raw eggs, such as mayonnaise and mousse, are safe to eat in pregnancy if they are made with British Lion eggs or hen eggs produced under the Laid in Britain scheme.[1]

US FDA: Dairy and Eggs (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be)

  • Avoid eating or tasting foods that may contain raw or lightly-cooked eggs, such as: Homemade mayonnaise[2]
  • Note: Commercial mayonnaise, dressing, and sauces contain pasteurized eggs that are safe to eat.[2]

FSANZ: Food safety for vulnerable people

  • Higher-risk foods: (e.g. in milkshakes, mayonnaise and aioli, lightly poached eggs, mousse, custard) (advice for vulnerable people, including pregnant women)[3]
  • Safer alternatives: Pasteurised eggs, cooked omelettes, hard boiled eggs, commercial custard and dressings e.g. mayonnaise, aioli (advice for vulnerable people, including pregnant women)[3]

Related general rules

US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women

  • Safer Choice: Pasteurized eggs in foods that will not be cooked to a safe temperature, such as mousse and salad dressing[4]

Nutrition per 100 g (USDA)

Energy680 kcal
Protein0.96 g
Fibre0 g
Sugars0.57 g
Iron0.21 mg
Calcium8 mg
Folate (DFE)5 µg
Folate, total5 µg
Vitamin A (RAE)16 µg
Vitamin C0 mg
Vitamin D0.2 µg
Vitamin B120.12 µg
Choline34.2 mg
DHA (omega-3)0.005 g
EPA (omega-3)0 g
Caffeine0 mg
Sodium635 mg

USDA FoodData Central: Salad dressing, mayonnaise, regular (FDC ID 171009), per 100 g. Public domain. Values describe that USDA record; composition varies with variety and preparation.

Sources

  1. NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy · nhs.uk. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3.0). Not endorsed by the NHS.
  2. US FDA: Dairy and Eggs (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be) · fda.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  3. FSANZ: Food safety for vulnerable people · foodstandards.gov.au. © Food Standards Australia New Zealand, licensed under CC BY 4.0; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  4. US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women · cdc.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.

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.