Pregnant women often feel limited when the end-of-year holidays arrive. No alcohol, no smoked salmon… But what about foie gras? Good news: it is not systematically prohibited during pregnancy. Anaïs Amiach, liberal midwife, takes stock for us.
As Christmas or New Year approaches, many mothers-to-be wonder the same thing: do they have the right to eat foie gras ? With the risk of listeriosis, we often think that this product is completely excluded. However, depending on its cooking method (if it is well cooked) a pregnant woman can treat herself to a few toasts without worry. Here is the types of foie gras to favor or leave aside during pregnancyon the advice of midwife Anaïs Amiach.
Can we eat semi-cooked foie gras during pregnancy?
In principle, “homemade” or “artisanal” semi-cooked foie gras is not recommended during pregnancybecause we do not know precisely the degree of cooking of the product. Cooking of semi-cooked foie gras must be 65°C. Below this temperature, any pathogenic micro-organisms present in the meat are not destroyed and can be responsible for listeriosis. However, with caution, pregnant women can eat semi-cooked foie gras, purchased in stores or in restaurants, if it has been correctly pasteurized at 65°C.
Can you eat foie gras if you are immune to toxoplasmosis?
A pregnant woman, for whom screening for toxoplasmosis is mandatory, can eat foie gras without thinking about the risks if she is immune against this infection. In case of immunity, “there are no special measures to take during pregnancy”, specifies the Health Insurance website before adding: “If you notice symptoms that worry you, do not hesitate to seek the advice of your doctor.” If you are not immune to toxoplasmosisyou can eat foie gras provided it is well cooked. Indeed, among the health and diet recommendations; which are given to future mothers to reduce the risk of contamination with toxoplasmosis, it is advisable to “consume meat well cooked at more than 68°C”indicates Health Insurance.
What foie gras to eat when you are pregnant?
Goose foie gras or duck foie gras, you can choose either according to your tastes. Here are the types of storage and cooking of foie gras that are preferred during pregnancy:
- Foie gras in airtight jar with rubber
- Canned foie gras
- Frozen foie gras (at -20°C, listeria is killed)
- Pan-fried foie gras cooked through
- Foie gras sauce
What types of foie gras are prohibited during pregnancy?
Here is the list of fatty livers not recommended during pregnancy:
- Homemade foie gras (terrine, cloth)
- Foie gras at the caterer
- Semi-cooked foie gras
- Foie gras mousse
- Marinated foie gras
The difference between cooked foie gras and semi-cooked foie gras comes from the cooking temperature.. While a classic foie gras will have been cooked in a bain-marie between 90°C and 110°C, semi-cooked foie gras is subjected to a lower temperature at 65°C. In stores, to check this element, look at the product label. The cooking label must indicate 100°C minimum, or in the case of semi-cooked, “pasteurized foie gras”. At a restaurant, do not hesitate to ask if one of the two processes has been applied before ordering. Finally, remember that foie gras is rarely eaten raw. Most of the time, it is cooked at a temperature of at least 100 degrees.
- Infections by parasites during pregnancy, Health Insurance website (December 2021): https://www.ameli.fr/assure/sante/themes/infections/infections-parasites
