[noi'mnot]

I'm very sorry - I'm sure this has been done a gazillion times already. I still can't remember, though.

I freaking love feta cheese. But I can never remember all of the food safety guidelines (which I don't really follow too closely anyway).

I'm very confused about whether feta is ok or not - I understand not to have it from the deli where it's sitting for goodness knows how long in goodness knows what.

But what about the feta from the fridge that's in sealed packets?

And what about the feta from the fridge that's in sealed tubs, in brine or in olive oil?

I haven't eaten any from the deli but have eaten it from the fridge, uncooked. I thought that the ones from the fridge were ok, but then the NSW health poster thingy says no feta at all so I'm confused.

I'd love somebody to clear this up for me, once and for all.

This post has been edited by noi'mnot: 19/11/2012, 08:08 AM

[bubzillaiscoming]

My friend had a very old OB who said NO FETA - not even salad that had touched feta!

I freaked as I had been eating feta so asked my OB who is quite young, maybe 40. He said feta in packets is fine. Def not from the deli. His take on it was to be sensible ie in packets and look at the use by date.

I say feta it up!! I have twice now and both babies are FINE

[Koobie83]

Oh man I'm a feta fan too - but all info seems to point to no feta in pregnancy. Even the packet ones. I believe it may be because its not as pasteurised as hard cheeses like cheddar. I don't get it either. But I think when you are pregnant you are 20x more likely to pick up tummy bugs than previously.

[bikingbubs]

I ate the ones from the packet both pregnancies. But it really comes down to you being aware of the risks (even if they are small) and making a decision you are happy with.

[Matthias' mum]

The recommendation is no feta at all. The issue is not pasteurisation, but that it is moist and in brine, and therefore a listeria risk. If you must eat it, the packaged one is safer then the deli cheese, otherwise, have it cooked. You could get your feta fix on a pizza instead.

It seems to be a common misperception, but pasteurised soft cheeses are NOT considered safe. This may help you;

http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/consum...e/#.UKlkLs2c8go

[noi'mnot]

Yeah, I understand about pasteurisation and that pasteurised cheeses can still have risks.

Further googling agreed with those who said that feta is a no-no because of listeria risk.

I do tend to be pretty relatively relaxed about the guidelines so I might just take a calculated risk and keep on getting the occasional feta fix from the packaged ones in the fridge. I'll be more inclined to put it on pizza from now on, though.

Thanks for your help everybody.

[Natttmumm]

I believe the current warning is no feta. I love love love feta but I havent eaten it . I would eat it cooked on a pizza and I have alsi cooked a few bits for a salad. Its nice cooked too so your not missing out.

[WinterIsComing]

Just put it in an omelet, pie, etc - anything cooked is fine, even soft cheeses!

It has nothing to do with pasteurisation. It is to do with the amount of liquid around feta that can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Therefore soft cheeses like Camember are a no no too.

For what it's worth, hard cheeses like Cheddar also have tiny concentrations of listeria (it is everywhere, in water supply, everywhere!) but the hard cheese environment is not conducive to the bacterial growth.

[ez21]

I ate the packaged feta throughout my pregnancy. I figure that the packages are vacuum packed so would be harder for the bacteria to grow (not exposed to air). I only ate it from a freshly opened package with intact packaging and no air inside. I didn't let it sit opened for days in the fridge before having another go at it.

For me, I feel this managed the risk enough to continue eating feta.

[Nut]

The risk with feta is the maturation process. It's debated but the general consensus is to not eat it unless it's cooked hot.