Can you eat mozarella while pregnant?

Yes, you can eat mozzarella while pregnant, as long as it is made from pasteurised milk. Current NHS guidance specifically lists pasteurised mozzarella among the soft cheeses that are safe to eat during pregnancy.

That includes mozzarella eaten cold as well as mozzarella cooked on foods such as pizza, provided the cheese is pasteurised and has been stored correctly.

The part worth checking is the label. Most dairy products sold in UK supermarkets are pasteurised, according to the NHS, but checking the packaging is the simplest way to be sure.

Is mozzarella safe during pregnancy?

Pasteurised mozzarella is safe to eat during pregnancy according to current NHS guidance.

Mozzarella is a soft cheese, but that does not mean it belongs in the same category as every other soft cheese. Pregnancy advice sometimes gets simplified into “avoid soft cheese”, which can make the rules sound much broader than they actually are.

The NHS specifically lists pasteurised soft cheeses including:

mozzarella
feta
ricotta
mascarpone
cottage cheese
cream cheese
halloumi
paneer
burrata

These can be eaten during pregnancy when they are made from pasteurised milk.

The cheeses that need more caution include mould-ripened soft cheeses with a white rind, such as brie and camembert, and soft blue cheeses such as gorgonzola and Roquefort. The NHS advises eating these only when they have been cooked until steaming hot.

Does mozzarella have to be cooked?

Pasteurised mozzarella does not need to be cooked before you eat it during pregnancy.

This means fresh pasteurised mozzarella can be eaten cold in a salad or sandwich, as long as it has been stored correctly and any other ingredients in the meal are suitable during pregnancy.

Mozzarella on pizza, pasta or another cooked dish is also fine.

If the mozzarella is unpasteurised, the advice is different. Current NHS guidance advises avoiding unpasteurised milk and dairy products during pregnancy because they may contain listeria bacteria.

Check the packaging if you are uncertain.

How can you tell if mozzarella is pasteurised?

Look at the ingredients or product description on the packaging. It may state that the mozzarella has been made with pasteurised milk.

The NHS notes that most dairy products such as milk, cheese and butter sold in supermarkets are pasteurised, but recommends checking the packaging to make sure.

If you are buying mozzarella from a deli, farm shop, market or restaurant and the information is not available on a label, ask whether it is made from pasteurised milk.

There is no need to guess. If the person serving it cannot confirm, choosing a cheese you know is pasteurised is a simple alternative.

Can you eat fresh mozzarella while pregnant?

Yes, fresh mozzarella can be eaten during pregnancy if it is pasteurised.

Fresh mozzarella is often sold as a soft ball stored in liquid. Being fresh or stored in liquid does not automatically make it unsafe.

Follow the storage instructions on the packaging, keep it refrigerated and use it before the use-by date.

Once the packet has been opened, follow the manufacturer’s instructions about how quickly it should be eaten.

Food safety matters because chilled ready-to-eat foods can sometimes become contaminated with harmful bacteria if they are stored incorrectly or kept for too long.

Can you eat mozzarella on pizza while pregnant?

Yes. Mozzarella on pizza can be eaten during pregnancy.

If the mozzarella is pasteurised, it is already considered safe under NHS pregnancy guidance. Cooking it on a pizza is not required to make pasteurised mozzarella acceptable.

If a pizza contains other cheeses, however, check what they are. Mould-ripened soft cheeses and soft blue cheeses should be cooked until steaming hot before eating during pregnancy.

The toppings matter too. For example, current NHS guidance advises that cold cured meats such as pepperoni, salami, chorizo and prosciutto should be cooked until steaming hot before eating.

A mozzarella pizza without higher-risk toppings is therefore a straightforward option, provided normal food hygiene and storage guidance has been followed.

What about buffalo mozzarella?

The animal the milk comes from is not the main issue. Pasteurisation is what you need to check.

If buffalo mozzarella is made from pasteurised milk, it falls within the NHS guidance that allows pasteurised mozzarella during pregnancy.

If it is made from unpasteurised milk, avoid eating it unless you have clear professional guidance that the particular product is suitable.

Artisan and imported cheeses can vary, so checking the label is especially useful when buying something unfamiliar.

Can you eat burrata while pregnant?

Burrata is closely related to mozzarella and has a creamy centre.

Current NHS guidance specifically lists pasteurised burrata among the soft cheeses that are safe during pregnancy.

As with mozzarella, check that it is pasteurised, keep it chilled and follow the use-by date and storage instructions.

If you are served burrata in a restaurant and cannot see the packaging, you can ask whether it has been made from pasteurised milk.

Why is unpasteurised dairy a concern?

The NHS advises avoiding unpasteurised milk and dairy products during pregnancy because they may contain listeria bacteria.

Listeria can cause an infection called listeriosis. Listeriosis is rare, but pregnancy increases the risk of serious complications if an infection occurs.

This is why pregnancy food guidance distinguishes between pasteurised mozzarella, which the NHS lists as safe, and unpasteurised dairy products, which should be avoided.

The distinction is about reducing a known food safety risk, not about mozzarella itself being dangerous.

What if you already ate mozzarella and do not know if it was pasteurised?

If you have already eaten mozzarella and then realised you did not check the label, try not to make assumptions about what that means.

The NHS says that if you have already had a small amount of a food or drink that should be avoided during pregnancy, it is unlikely to affect your baby if you did not become unwell. It advises speaking to your midwife or GP if you are worried or develop symptoms.

Most supermarket dairy products in the UK are pasteurised, but if you know the product you ate, you may be able to check its packaging or manufacturer information.

If you feel unwell after eating a food you are concerned about, seek professional advice rather than trying to diagnose the cause yourself.

When to get professional advice

You do not normally need to contact your midwife simply because you have eaten pasteurised mozzarella during pregnancy.

Speak to your midwife or GP if you have eaten unpasteurised dairy and are worried, or if you are unsure whether individual dietary advice you have received changes what is suitable for you.

The NHS advises getting an urgent GP appointment or contacting NHS 111 if you are pregnant and think you have listeriosis. Possible symptoms include a high temperature, aches and pains, chills, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea. Pregnant people may also experience stomach ache or notice their baby moving less than usual.

You can also contact your midwife for advice if you think you may have listeriosis.

Call 999 or go to A&E for symptoms that could indicate a serious emergency, such as a severe headache with a stiff neck, a seizure, sudden confusion, being very difficult to wake or a rash that does not fade under a glass.