Salami

[clucky]

I've just read that salami is a no-no whilst preg. as a lover of salami (i just ate some a few mins ago) this has worried me, i love it and have yet to finish the packet i bought the other day. any advice anyone??? should i eat it or toss it. and should i stop eating it altogether

[rynosmum]

The only reason it is a no-no is because cured meats are more 'likely' to harbour bacteria than fresh meat. So even if you weren't pregnant, you would be more at risk of getting food poisoning from the bacteria in salami-type meat.

It doesn't mean that Salami in itself is bad for you.

The only other thing is that with cured meat, it is quite difficult to tell if it has 'turned' or not - just another increased risk of food poisoning is all. If the packet is a few days old, I'd be tempted to toss it.

[the_queen]

I had a craving for salami early in my pregnancy, and my MW told me if you cook it or heat it up, that will generally kill any bugs. So (as I understand it) a toasted sandwich would be better than having it in a normal sandwich.

[pegasus]

The reason for not eating cured meats (includes salami, ham, bacon, sausage etc) is if it contains sodium nitrite (250). Sodium nitrite can be converted in our stomachs to nitrosamines (powerful carcinogens, or teratogens). So the guidelines I've found say eat rarely or nota at all. Sodium nitrite is also in beer and scotch so another reason to avoid during pregnancy. As far as I know - cooking the meat up will kill bugs, but not get rid of the nitrosamines.

Whenever something says rarely or not at all, no one is going to give you a straight out answer about whether you should eat the rest of your salami. I just avoid anything like this. We have ham in the fridge for my DH and friends, but anything which has 250 written in the ingredients, I don't buy for myself. (Mind you, I did have a Malibu Whopper the other day at Hungry Jacks - has a bit of bacon in - but that's a rarely one.)

[pegasus]

Sorry clucky - just realised you are TTC, not yet pg. So I'd say go for it - as far as I know sodium nitrite or any of the other reasons are a problem till you've conceived.