Pepperoni in Pregnancy: Pizza and Cold Slices

Pepperoni in pregnancy: how to think about it

Pepperoni is a cured, fermented sausage rather than a cooked one, so it sits under the same guidance as salami and other cold cured meats. NHS advice on foods to avoid says cold cured meats can carry a risk of toxoplasmosis and listeria, and recommends cooking them until steaming hot before eating if you want to be cautious. Listeria is the organism behind most pregnancy food warnings because, although infection is rare, listeriosis in pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or serious illness in a newborn. Toxoplasmosis is the other concern with cured meat, since curing does not reliably kill the parasite the way cooking does. In practice most pepperoni is eaten baked on a pizza, and a pizza that comes out of the oven steaming hot has been heated well past the point that matters. The cold slice is the case that needs the extra step.

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.

Pepperoni: safer choices

• Pepperoni baked on a pizza until the whole thing is steaming hot, which is how most people eat it and is the form that removes the concern.
• Reheating cold pepperoni until steaming hot if you want it in a sandwich or on a board.
• Checking that pizza is served properly hot rather than lukewarm, and sending it back if it has cooled.
• Keeping packs refrigerated, sealed and within date, and using clean utensils when serving.

Pepperoni: what to avoid or double-check

• Avoid cold pepperoni eaten straight from the pack, on a charcuterie board or on a cold pizza slice, unless it has been heated until steaming hot.
• Avoid pepperoni from open deli counters, buffets or antipasto trays where storage time and temperature are unclear.
• Avoid leftover pizza eaten cold from the fridge, which is a common way people eat cured meat cold without thinking about it.
• Avoid packs that are past their date, swollen, leaking, or that smell or look wrong.

How SafeMama helps

SafeMama can flag cured and fermented meat wording on labels, including pepperoni, salami and chorizo, along with ready-to-eat and refrigerated storage instructions, so you can check whether a product needs heating first.

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

• NHS foods to avoid in pregnancy
• FDA listeria food safety for moms-to-be
• FoodSafety.gov guidance for pregnant women