Is Ricotta safe during pregnancy?
Milk, cheese & dairy
Official sources differ
The official sources below do not agree, so each position is shown with who holds it.[1,2,3]
- NHS: Pasteurised ricotta is safe.
- FSANZ: Avoid ricotta and other soft cheeses unless thoroughly cooked.
What official sources say
NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy
- Cheese, milk and other dairy › Safe to eat: Pasteurised soft cheeses are safe to eat in pregnancy, including cottage cheese, cream cheese, processed cheese spreads, mozzarella, feta, paneer, ricotta, mascarpone, halloumi, burrata and goats' cheese without a white rind.[1]
FSANZ: Listeria in food
- Avoid pre-prepared ready-to-eat foods, especially:
soft, semi-soft and surface-ripened cheeses such as brie, camembert, ricotta, blue and feta (unless thoroughly cooked)
(advice for vulnerable people, including pregnant women)[2]
FSANZ: Food safety for vulnerable people
- Higher-risk foods:
Pre-packaged and delicatessen (e.g. brie, camembert, mozzarella, ricotta, feta and blue)
(advice for vulnerable people, including pregnant women)[3]
Nutrition per 100 g (USDA)
| Energy | 157 kcal |
| Protein | 7.81 g |
| Iron | 0.1 mg |
| Calcium | 224 mg |
| Folate, total | 4 µg |
| Vitamin A (RAE) | 127 µg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.78 µg |
| DHA (omega-3) | 0 g |
| EPA (omega-3) | 0.005 g |
| Sodium | 105 mg |
USDA FoodData Central: Cheese, ricotta, whole milk (FDC ID 746766), per 100 g. Public domain. Values describe that USDA record; composition varies with variety and preparation.
Sources
- 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.
- 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.
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.