Muka · Pregnancy guide
Can I Eat Blue Cheese While Pregnant?
Updated June 2026 · based on NHS and official food-safety guidance
Soft blue cheeses such as roquefort, gorgonzola and Danish blue can carry Listeria, a bacterium that is rare but dangerous in pregnancy and linked to miscarriage and stillbirth. The NHS says to avoid soft blue cheese raw, even when pasteurised, unless it is cooked until steaming hot. In the US, the CDC, FDA and ACOG say the key issue is pasteurisation: avoid any soft or blue-veined cheese made with unpasteurised (raw) milk, while pasteurised-milk cheese is a safer choice and is safest of all when heated until steaming hot.
Blue cheese is one of the most confusing foods in pregnancy, partly because UK and US advice differ. The good news is that it is never fully off the menu. Cooking it until piping hot makes any blue cheese safe, and in the US a pasteurised-milk blue cheese is treated as a safer choice. Below you will find what the NHS, CDC, FDA and ACOG actually say, broken down by type, so you can scan your plate and decide with confidence. For a specific product, the Muka app gives you a verdict in 3 seconds by barcode scan or photo.
Which blue cheeses are safe in pregnancy?
| Blue cheese | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked blue cheese (steaming hot, e.g. melted in a sauce) | Safe | Thorough cooking to steaming hot all the way through kills Listeria, so any blue cheese becomes safe once piping hot. The NHS, CDC and FDA all confirm heating until steaming hot makes soft and blue cheese safe. |
| Hard blue cheese (Stilton) | In moderation | The NHS lists hard cheeses (cheddar, gruyere, parmesan) as safe but does not name Stilton, which is a crumbly blue. As a blue cheese it carries some Listeria risk, so many people choose it pasteurised or cooked; if unsure, heat it until steaming hot. |
| Pasteurised soft blue cheese, US (e.g. labelled gorgonzola) | In moderation | The CDC, FDA and ACOG treat pasteurised-milk cheese as the safe choice, but the CDC's list of cheeses safe to eat cold does not include blue-veined cheese, so it is safest heated until steaming hot. Check the label says pasteurised. |
| Pasteurised soft blue cheese, UK (roquefort, Danish blue) | Avoid | The NHS advises avoiding soft blue cheese even when pasteurised, unless it is cooked until steaming hot, because of Listeria risk. |
| Unpasteurised or raw-milk blue cheese | Avoid | Raw-milk soft and blue-veined cheese carries the highest Listeria risk and is advised against by the NHS, CDC, FDA and ACOG unless cooked until steaming hot. |
| Blue cheese dressing or dip (from the fridge, uncooked) | In moderation | A dressing made with pasteurised cheese is lower-risk in the US, but the cheese source is often unknown and the NHS would treat soft blue cheese dressing as one to avoid raw. Safest to use a pasteurised cheese or heat it until steaming hot. |
Not sure about a specific product?
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Download Muka on the App StoreFrequently asked questions
Why is soft blue cheese a problem in pregnancy?
Soft blue cheeses are moist and less acidic, which lets Listeria bacteria grow more easily than in hard cheeses. Listeria infection is rare but pregnant people are far more vulnerable to it, and it has been linked to miscarriage, stillbirth and serious illness in newborns, so the NHS advises caution and the CDC notes pregnant people are about 10 times more likely to get a Listeria infection.
Is pasteurised blue cheese safe while pregnant?
It depends where you are. US guidance from the CDC, FDA and ACOG treats cheese made with pasteurised milk as the safer choice and says to avoid soft or blue-veined cheese made with raw milk; blue cheese is safest of all when heated until steaming hot. The NHS in the UK is stricter and advises avoiding soft blue cheese even when pasteurised, unless you cook it until steaming hot all the way through.
Can I eat Stilton while pregnant?
The NHS lists hard cheeses such as cheddar, gruyere and parmesan as safe, but it does not specifically name Stilton, which is a crumbly blue cheese. Because blue cheeses carry some Listeria risk, a cautious approach is to choose a pasteurised version or cook it until steaming hot if you are unsure. Talk to your midwife if you want tailored advice.
Is cooked blue cheese safe in pregnancy?
Yes. Cooking blue cheese until it is steaming hot all the way through kills Listeria and makes it safe. That means blue cheese melted into a hot sauce, baked on a pizza or stirred into a piping-hot risotto is fine, even if it is a soft variety. The NHS, CDC and FDA all agree heating until steaming hot makes it safe.
I ate raw blue cheese before I knew, should I worry?
Try not to panic. Listeria infection from cheese is rare, and most people who eat a little raw blue cheese have no problems at all. Watch for symptoms like fever, aches or chills over the next few weeks, and contact your midwife or doctor if you feel unwell or are concerned.
Sources
- NHS — Foods to avoid in pregnancy: nhs.uk
See also: how Muka works, the pregnancy food scanner that answers “can I eat this while pregnant?”.