Food & Drink
Can You Eat Burrata While Pregnant? Pasteurized Checks
Published 2026-07-21 | By SafeMama Editorial Team | Editorial policy
Short answer
Often, yes. You can eat burrata while pregnant when the label or restaurant confirms pasteurized milk, the cheese has stayed refrigerated, it is within the use-by date, and it is opened close to serving time. Skip raw-milk burrata, open deli tubs, buffet boards, and cold restaurant burrata when staff cannot confirm pasteurization and storage.
Pasteurized, fresh, and chilled only
Burrata in pregnancy: how to think about it
NHS pregnancy food guidance lists pasteurized burrata as a soft cheese that can be eaten, and says any cheese cooked until steaming hot can be eaten. FDA listeria guidance for pregnancy says to keep refrigerated foods at 40 F (4 C) or colder and not leave foods that need refrigeration at room temperature for more than two hours. CDC guidance lists soft cheeses made with pasteurized milk as safer choices when handled correctly, and FoodSafety.gov warns against raw milk and raw milk products in pregnancy. Burrata is a fresh cheese with a creamy center, so the practical checks are pasteurization, cold storage, use-by date, clean utensils, and how long it has been open or sitting out.
Working through a longer grocery list? The Pregnancy Food Safety Hub gathers all 50 SafeMama food and drink guides, grouped by pasteurization, cooking temperature and mercury questions.
Burrata: safer choices
- Choose burrata that clearly says it is made with pasteurized milk. NHS lists pasteurized burrata among soft cheeses that can be eaten in pregnancy.
- Keep sealed burrata refrigerated, open it close to serving time, use clean utensils, and eat it by the use-by date.
- At restaurants, ask whether the burrata is pasteurized, freshly opened, and held cold before serving.
- Pick pizza, baked pasta, or another cheese dish cooked until steaming hot if the milk source, open-container history, or cold storage is unclear.
Burrata: what to avoid or double-check
- Avoid unpasteurized burrata, raw-milk burrata, or fresh cheese where the milk source is unclear.
- Avoid burrata from buffets, antipasto boards, salad bars, open deli tubs, or appetizer displays that may have sat out.
- Avoid pre-packed salads, takeout bowls, or restaurant plates with cold burrata if staff cannot confirm pasteurization and refrigeration.
- Avoid products with swollen or leaking packaging, off smell, unusual texture, unexpected mold, a past date, or unclear refrigeration.
How SafeMama helps
SafeMama can flag burrata, buratta and burratta misspellings, stracciatella filling, mozzarella, fresh cheese, pasteurized and unpasteurized milk wording, use-by dates, refrigeration instructions, open deli tubs, room-temperature display risk, and listeria-related checks on restaurant or grocery labels.
Open the SafeMama app, scan the barcode or search the ingredient, then use the result as a starting point for a conversation with your healthcare provider.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Can you eat burrata while pregnant?
Often, yes, when it is made with pasteurized milk, kept cold, in date, opened close to serving time, and not left sitting out. Skip raw-milk burrata or cold burrata with unclear handling.
Is burrata pasteurized?
Sometimes. Check the package or ask the restaurant. Do not assume burrata is pasteurized from the cheese name alone.
Can I eat burrata while pregnant?
Use the same check: pasteurized milk, cold storage, clean utensils, current use-by date, and prompt serving. If any of those are unclear, choose a cooked cheese dish.
Can pregnant women eat burrata?
Pregnant women can eat pasteurized burrata that has been handled safely. Restaurant burrata, deli tubs, boards, and salads need a closer handling check.
Is burrata pregnancy safe?
It can be a reasonable choice when pasteurized and handled cold, but pregnancy food safety also depends on time out of the fridge and clean handling.
Is pasteurized burrata safe while pregnant?
NHS guidance lists pasteurized burrata as a soft cheese that can be eaten in pregnancy. Pasteurization helps, but refrigeration and time out of the fridge still matter.
Can I have burrata at a restaurant while pregnant?
Ask whether it is made with pasteurized milk, kept cold, and opened fresh. If staff cannot confirm, choose pizza, baked pasta, or another hot cooked option.
Can you eat burrata when pregnant if it was on a board?
Be cautious with burrata from cheese boards, antipasto trays, buffets, salad bars, or appetizer displays because it may have been open or sitting out.
Can I eat burrata on pizza while pregnant?
A cheese dish cooked until steaming hot is usually a lower-risk choice when cold burrata handling is unclear. NHS guidance says cheese cooked until steaming hot can be eaten.
Is stracciatella filling in burrata safe during pregnancy?
Treat it like the rest of the burrata. It should be made with pasteurized milk, kept cold, eaten within date, and not left out on a board or buffet.
Can I eat burrata in the UK while pregnant?
NHS guidance specifically lists pasteurized burrata among soft cheeses that can be eaten in pregnancy. Still check the label and cold storage.
What if I ate restaurant burrata while pregnant?
Do not panic. Note whether it was pasteurized and chilled if you can. Call your clinician if you develop fever, flu-like symptoms, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, or if the food is later recalled.
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