Ham sandwich confusion

preggoandglowing

I've been at the hospital for a few hours being monitored due to contractions and got hungry so they brought me a cold ham sandwhich. I think we were all told to avoid deli meats unless they are heated until steaming hot. I asked the nurse about it and she said it was safe to eat so I did but it's lingering in the back of my mind. They wouldn't feed me something dangerous right?

Mizuiro007

I have read somewhere that it's the meat from a deli that's the worst offender. Prepackaged doesn't carry as much of the same risk since it isn't sitting there culturing like in a deli, especially if it's some of the ones that are heated or pasturized during packaging. Maybe it's something like this?

rachel10488

I eat cold deli meat all the time and my dr said it was fine so I think that "risk" of listeria is a bit out of place (especially since info on listeria outbreaks get around in the news and have only been in veggies recently)

rmarie13

I live outside of the states and deli meat is not on the no list here. I eat ham and turkey sandwiches almost daily. If the hospital gave it to you, you're fine. My dr said there's a higher risk in getting sick from improperly cleaned raw veggies than deli meats.
Just breathe!!

chewie5990

My dr told me to eat as much cold deli meat as I want but if I get from the deli to eat it within 5 five days (which I would do anyways)
you will be fine.

GardenMama116

My doc is ok with me eating deli meat from the market I visit weekly...I have been going there for years and know they have high food safety practices. He advised against places like Jimmy Johns because there is more uncertainty in how long the fresh-sliced meat has been sitting or the adherence to food safety. I try to stay away from cold deli sandwiches @ Panera or Jason's Deli too since I don't know how long the meat has been sitting out. There is a sandwich shop up the street that slices the meat after you place your order, ive been there a couple of times because I HAD to have a turkey & roast beef club!

lmyrmo

Listeria is most likely from the meat slicer itself of not cleaned thoroughly (lots of small pieces.) Yes risk is low and there are other places you can get it, but mind you, if you get listeria in pregnancy, it grows in the placenta itself. Not saying this to worry anyone, just educating. If the meat is heated, it will be safer. Leaving it out, while concerning for other food borne illnesses, but this isn't specifically where listeria originates. I am not even saying I haven't chanced a turkey sandwich here and there, but if you have ever seen a fetal loss as a result of listeria, you may reconsider. You can visit the CDC for more information on actual risks if interested. https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/risk.html

preggoandglowing

Interesting... thank you for your comments. I feel much better now. Other than the small contractions everything else was good so they released me.

nik6499

I eat deli meat daily

kdoak2015

nik6499 said:

I eat deli meat daily

Dido!

satindawl83

Same here. At first I was paranoid about deli meat. But gotta have my turkey sammies!!

nik6499

I need something I don't have to hear up in clinical

TomekiaB

Turkey is supposed to be the biggest risk deli meat wise. My OB didn't stress to much saying that typically listeria is an outbreak so its really hard to predict where the exposure would come from (it was frozen corn last month). I'm already paranoid about deli meat and cleanliness of restaurants since I've taught the classes (food safety and pregnancy nutrition) I do avoid deli meat and soft cheeses (unless pasteurized) because the side effects of spontaneous abortion or still birth are so scary. I'm less concerned about the risks from most other foods pregnancy wise (i.e. eggs are most likely to have salmonella or camplobacter which wouldn't be fun but isnt as dangerous to baby).