Can You Eat Camembert When Pregnant?
Written by Jordan Morley · Reviewed against NHS foods-to-avoid guidance · Last updated 28 October 2026
NHS guidance says avoid Camembert during pregnancy unless it is thoroughly cooked until piping hot, because of the risk of listeria.
Why is camembert a concern in pregnancy?
Camembert is Normandy's answer to Brie — a smaller, denser round with a thinner rind and a stronger, more earthy, mushroomy flavour that deepens as it matures. Soft cheeses with a white rind are less acidic and hold more moisture than hard cheeses, which makes them an ideal environment for listeria bacteria to grow. Listeriosis in pregnancy is rare, but even a mild infection can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or serious illness in a newborn baby, which is why the NHS advises avoiding these cheeses while pregnant.
You can also check the calorie content of camembert alongside its safety information. Also check medication safety during pregnancy if you're managing any conditions.
The exception
Camembert is safe to eat during pregnancy if it is cooked until piping hot all the way through — for example baked Camembert that is steaming in the middle. Thorough cooking kills listeria bacteria.
Pasteurised camembert is still a 'cook it' cheese: four packs
The NHS foods-to-avoid page (last reviewed 15 June 2026) lists 'pasteurised or unpasteurised mould-ripened soft cheeses with a white coating on the outside, such as brie, camembert and chèvre' as cheeses that must be thoroughly cooked. We read four UK camembert pages on 28 October 2026:
| Pack | Milk | Pack wording |
|---|---|---|
| Sainsbury's French Camembert 250g | 'Made with pasteurised milk.' | 'Expectant mothers and those susceptible to infection should avoid eating this cheese.' Once opened, use within 3 days |
| Sainsbury's Taste the Difference French Camembert 250g | 'Made with unpasteurised cows' milk.' | The same warning. Once opened, use within 3 days; re-wrap airtight |
| Morrisons The Best French Camembert de Caractere | Page does not say | 'Pregnant women should avoid eating this product.' Use within 3 days of opening |
| Isigny Ste Mere Pasteurised Camembert (Waitrose) | 'Camembert made with pasteurised cows' milk.' | No pregnancy statement and no once-opened wording on the page; 'Keep refrigerated at +6°C maxi' |
So a 'pasteurised' label does not move camembert into the safe group on the NHS list, and Sainsbury's and Morrisons both tell pregnant women to avoid their camembert either way. Three of the four give a 3-day opened-pack limit; Isigny's page gives none, so follow the date on your own pack.
Camembert de Normandie: the raw-milk one
Wikipedia says the protected 'Camembert de Normandie' is 'required by law to be made only with unpasteurized milk' (about 10% of Camembert production), while many makers outside Normandy use pasteurised milk. We did not open the INAO rules, so treat this as a pointer to check the label. For pregnancy it changes nothing: both pasteurised and unpasteurised camembert go in the same NHS 'cook it' group. The label words to look for are 'lait cru' (raw milk) and 'pasteurised'.
Baking it safely
The NHS says 'steaming hot' and gives no temperature. The FSA's blue cheese risk assessment quotes research that 'Cooking at temperatures higher than 70°C for 2 minutes kills Listeria spp.' HuffPost UK (7 December 2023) says typical baked Camembert recipes run about 20 minutes at 200°C, attributes 65°C to EFSA, and notes the recipes do not check the centre reaches it. We have not opened the EFSA source.
| Step | Why |
|---|---|
| Bake until the cheese is bubbling at the edges and the centre is molten | NHS: steaming hot |
| Probe the middle of the cheese: above 70°C, held for 2 minutes if you can | FSA research figure for killing Listeria spp. |
| Eat it while hot | HuffPost UK reports a midwife service advising against food that has been heated and left to cool |
| Do not leave a half-eaten baked camembert to cool and reheat | Same reason: heated, cooled and reheated cheese is not what the NHS rule describes |
For a full baked-brie and baked-camembert guide see baked camembert when pregnant.
Camembert on a menu
| Dish | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Whole baked camembert with bread, bubbling | Fine |
| Camembert in a hot sandwich or panini, melted through | Fine if hot all through |
| Breaded camembert wedges (deep-fried, hot) | Fine if the centre is molten and steaming |
| Cold camembert in a sandwich, on a cheeseboard or in a salad | Avoid |
| Camembert in a pre-packed sandwich | Avoid (soft mould-ripened, not cooked) |
Our application of the NHS rule. Breaded wedges: no source covers them specifically.
Sources checked
Everything in the sections above was checked against these pages on 28 October 2026.
- NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy (page last reviewed 15 June 2026) — mould-ripened soft cheeses with white coating (brie, camembert, chèvre) must be thoroughly cooked, pasteurised or unpasteurised; cooked cheese safe; last reviewed 15 June 2026
- Sainsbury's: French Camembert Cheese Whole 250g (product page) — pasteurised camembert; expectant mothers warning; opened 3 days
- Sainsbury's: French Camembert Cheese, Taste the Difference 250g (product page) — unpasteurised camembert; same warning; opened 3 days; re-wrap airtight
- Morrisons: The Best French Camembert de Caractere (product page) — pregnant women should avoid; use within 3 days of opening
- Waitrose: Isigny Ste Mere Pasteurised Camembert Cheese (product page) — pasteurised camembert; keep refrigerated at +6°C maxi; no pregnancy wording
- Wikipedia: Camembert — Camembert de Normandie PDO required to use raw milk; others pasteurised
- FSA / FSS report: The risk to vulnerable consumers from Listeria monocytogenes in blue cheese (PDF) — FSA research figure: above 70°C for 2 minutes kills Listeria spp.
- HuffPost UK via Yahoo News Singapore: Yes, you can eat Camembert if you're pregnant (7 December 2023) — rival: 20 minutes at 200°C; 65°C from EFSA; eat hot
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Check Price →Camembert: the other answers on this site
| Question | Short answer (links to the full page) |
|---|---|
| While breastfeeding | Safe |
Common questions
Can I eat camembert when pregnant?
Only if it is thoroughly cooked until steaming hot. The NHS says mould-ripened soft cheeses with a white coating, such as brie, camembert and chèvre, must be thoroughly cooked.
Is pasteurised camembert safe in pregnancy?
Not uncooked. The NHS rule covers pasteurised and unpasteurised camembert, and the Sainsbury's pasteurised camembert page we read still tells expectant mothers to avoid it.
Can I eat baked camembert when pregnant?
Yes if it is bubbling and steaming hot all the way through. The NHS says any cheese cooked until steaming hot, including soft or blue cheese, is safe.
How hot does baked camembert need to be?
The NHS says steaming hot. The FSA's research figure is above 70°C for 2 minutes.
Is Camembert de Normandie unpasteurised?
Wikipedia says the protected version must be made with raw milk. Check for 'lait cru' on the label; for pregnancy either way needs cooking.
How long does camembert last once opened?
The retailer pages we read say 3 days from opening (Sainsbury's and Morrisons). Always follow the date on your own pack.
Can I eat cold camembert if it was baked yesterday?
A midwife service quoted by HuffPost UK advises against food that has been heated and left to cool. Eat baked camembert hot.
Related answers
Primary source: NHS foods-to-avoid guidance.
General information only, not medical advice: see the medical disclaimer. Feeling unwell after eating something? Contact NHS 111 or your GP.