Is Cantaloupe / muskmelon (rockmelon) safe during pregnancy?

Fruit Also called Kharamuja (Bengali); Mulam pazham (Tamil); Kharbujo (Gujarati); Kharbujo (Pido) (Gujarati).

Wash; eat cut melon fresh or chilled for up to 7 days

The US FDA says to rinse melons thoroughly before cutting; the US CDC says cut melon should be freshly cut or kept refrigerated for 7 or fewer days, and not left out for more than 2 hours; FSANZ lists rockmelon as higher-risk for vulnerable people.[1,2,3,4,5,6]

What official sources say

US FDA: Fruits, Veggies and Juices (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be)

  • Thoroughly rinse raw fruits and vegetables under running water before eating or preparing them, especially fruits that require peeling or cutting - like cantaloupe and other melons.[1]

US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women

  • Riskier Choice: Cut melon left out for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it's exposed to temperatures hotter than 90°F, such as a picnic or hot car)[2]
  • Safer Choice: Freshly cut melon or cut melon kept refrigerated for 7 or fewer days[2]

US CDC: Preventing Listeria Infection

  • Avoid: Cut melon in refrigerator for more than a week (advice for vulnerable people, including pregnant women)[3]

FSANZ: Listeria in food

  • Avoid pre-prepared ready-to-eat foods, especially: rockmelon (advice for vulnerable people, including pregnant women)[4]

FSANZ: Food safety for vulnerable people

  • Higher-risk foods: Rock melon (advice for vulnerable people, including pregnant women)[5]

NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy

  • Fruit and vegetables › Foods to be careful with: Pre-packed and pre-cut fruit, such as melon, needs care in pregnancy: keep it in the fridge and eat it before its use-by date.[6]

Related general rules

NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy

  • Fruit and vegetables › Safe to eat: Most fruits and vegetables are safe to eat in pregnancy, as long as they are washed thoroughly first.[6]
  • Wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly to remove soil, because soil can carry bacteria that may make you ill.[6]

US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women

  • Riskier Choice: Unwashed fresh fruits and vegetables, including lettuce and other leafy greens[2]
  • Safer Choice: Washed vegetables and fruits (washed and then cooked are safest)[2]

NHS: Have a healthy diet in pregnancy

  • Aim for at least 5 portions of varied fruit and vegetables a day, which can be fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced, and always wash fresh produce carefully.[7]

Nutrition per 100 g (USDA)

Energy34 kcal
Protein0.82 g
Fibre0.8 g
Sugars7.88 g
Iron0.38 mg
Calcium9 mg
Folate, total14 µg
Vitamin A (RAE)232 µg
Vitamin C10.9 mg
Sodium30 mg

USDA FoodData Central: Melons, cantaloupe, raw (FDC ID 746770), per 100 g. Public domain. Values describe that USDA record; composition varies with variety and preparation.

Sources

  1. US FDA: Fruits, Veggies and Juices (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be) · fda.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  2. US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women · cdc.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  3. US CDC: Preventing Listeria Infection · cdc.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  4. FSANZ: Listeria in food · foodstandards.gov.au. © Food Standards Australia New Zealand, licensed under CC BY 4.0; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  5. FSANZ: Food safety for vulnerable people · foodstandards.gov.au. © Food Standards Australia New Zealand, licensed under CC BY 4.0; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  6. 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.
  7. NHS: Have a healthy diet 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.

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.