Is Raw flour / raw dough safe during pregnancy?

Grains & cereals

Riskier choice: raw dough or batter made with raw flour

The US CDC lists raw dough or batter made with raw flour as a riskier choice; food made with flour cooked as directed, or dough made with heat-treated flour and pasteurised eggs, is the safer choice.[1]

What official sources say

US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women

  • Riskier Choice: Raw dough or raw batter made with raw (uncooked) flour[1]
  • Safer Choice: Food made with flour that is cooked following the package directions or recipe[1]
  • Safer Choice: Dough and batter made with heat-treated flour and pasteurized eggs[1]

Sources

  1. 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.