Total newb cheese question (Whole Foods mentioned)

Gummybear · December 2010

Literally the day before I got my BFP, I bought a huge tub o' Parmagano Reggiano from Whole Foods. The real stuff, not the Kraft junk. It was expensive and surely, delicious.

Then I got pg. and noticed the first ingredient is unpasturized cows milk.

So it's a no, right?

I know this question sucks, but I love parm. cheese. I figured any cheese not bought in a specialty cheese shop is safe, but I guess not? Unpasturized cheeses are infiltrating the shelves of our everyday grocery store!

BabyMimi · December 2010

It is my understanding that unpasturized anything is a no-no.

jetskreemr · December 2010

Yes, definitely a no-no. Eat no unpasteurized cheese, juice, or anything!

Sonadora · December 2010

It's a no. Sorry. But it freezes really well...

rvandiver0705 · December 2010

What! The cheese lady at my WFs told me that they didn't sell unpasturized cheese! I haven't really been able to eat any cheese since the BFP, but now I am going to double check that stuff!

Now I am ashamed and angry at the cheese lady. Not cool, cheese lady, not cool!

Gummybear · December 2010

rvandiver0705:

What! The cheese lady at my WFs told me that they didn't sell unpasturized cheese! I haven't really been able to eat any cheese since the BFP, but now I am going to double check that stuff!

Now I am ashamed and angry at the cheese lady. Not cool, cheese lady, not cool!

I was shocked too, which is why I asked. I would not have even looked because seriously, it wasn't in the fancy smelly cheese section, it was in the "come eat me everyday on your pizza" aisle, but it literally just caught my eye one day (after I had already eaten some, admittedly). It says it plain as day on the lid.

rvandiver0705 · December 2010

Gummybear:
rvandiver0705:

What! The cheese lady at my WFs told me that they didn't sell unpasturized cheese! I haven't really been able to eat any cheese since the BFP, but now I am going to double check that stuff!
Now I am ashamed and angry at the cheese lady. Not cool, cheese lady, not cool!
I was shocked too, which is why I asked. I would not have even looked because seriously, it wasn't in the fancy smelly cheese section, it was in the "come eat me everyday on your pizza" aisle, but it literally just caught my eye one day (after I had already eaten some, admittedly). It says it plain as day on the lid.

The cheese lover in me finds this heartbreaking. The good part is that you can freeze parm for a SUPER long time. I wonder if you can eat it if you cook it? If so, you could make parm crackers...yummmm.

Jessicaanne_1@yahoo.com · December 2010

The risk is very slim, its a personal choice. I am a cheese fanatic, I have eaten some brie and buffalo mozzarella during this pregnancy. Although the brie was baked and the mozzarella was on pizza. Last time I was very careful. It didn't bring me a baby. If you would rather be safe than sorry, I totally understand.

As for the juice mentioned in a previous post, I don't know how drinking unpasteurized juice is different than eating a piece of fresh fruit?

Also pasteurized just means heating your food up to kill bacteria.

DowagerCountessofNJ · December 2010

Jessicaanne_1@yahoo.com:
The risk is very slim, its a personal choice. I am a cheese fanatic, I have eaten some brie and buffalo mozzarella during this pregnancy. Although the brie was baked and the mozzarella was on pizza. Last time I was very careful. It didn't bring me a baby. If you would rather be safe than sorry, I totally understand.
As for the juice mentioned in a previous post, I don't know how drinking unpasteurized juice is different than eating a piece of fresh fruit?
Also pasteurized just means heating your food up to kill bacteria.

I'm also in this boat along with the no-no for eating lunch meat. My NP told me it's what I feel most comfortable with and as long as I was purchasing the food from a reputable and clean place and not off the back of a truck.

Gummybear · December 2010

I am kind of mixed on the issue too. I was super careful with DD, and kind of careful with DS (but his loss is not a result of my decaf coffee or roast beef sandwich).

Honestly I haven't even gotten that far yet because I still have so many doubts about the viability of this pregnancy.

I wonder if it's OK cooked? I guess i will just freeze it.

The juice thing, maybe PP meant things like cider etc? I know there were some pretty serious and scary incidents around here with contaminated fresh-pressed cider at a local farm/orchard. It wasn't pastuerized.

KCKSarah · December 2010

I'm pretty sure if you cook with it, then its A-ok!

grr_aargh · December 2010

I find it pretty hard to believe that your parm/regg is unpasteurized, but in that case I'd also point out that my cheese monger told me that aged cheeses (as parm reg is) have a VERY low risk of listeria because of the aging process (which might be why it's more easily sold unpasteurized - the US has STRINGENT pasteurization regulations).

erinlovesdavid · December 2010

Jessicaanne_1@yahoo.com:

The risk is very slim, its a personal choice. I am a cheese fanatic, I have eaten some brie and buffalo mozzarella during this pregnancy. Although the brie was baked and the mozzarella was on pizza. Last time I was very careful. It didn't bring me a baby. If you would rather be safe than sorry, I totally understand.

As for the juice mentioned in a previous post, I don't know how drinking unpasteurized juice is different than eating a piece of fresh fruit?

Also pasteurized just means heating your food up to kill bacteria.

I could be wrong, but I think reason unpasteurized juice is a concern (and fresh fruit is not) is that it can be contaminated by the machines in which it is processed. When we eat fresh fruit, we wash the outsides of it to remove any contaminants. This is not possible to do with a glass of OJ, though, which is why it needs to be pasteurized.

Jessicaanne_1@yahoo.com · December 2010

erinlovesdavid:
Jessicaanne_1@yahoo.com:

The risk is very slim, its a personal choice. I am a cheese fanatic, I have eaten some brie and buffalo mozzarella during this pregnancy. Although the brie was baked and the mozzarella was on pizza. Last time I was very careful. It didn't bring me a baby. If you would rather be safe than sorry, I totally understand.

As for the juice mentioned in a previous post, I don't know how drinking unpasteurized juice is different than eating a piece of fresh fruit?

Also pasteurized just means heating your food up to kill bacteria.

I could be wrong, but I think reason unpasteurized juice is a concern (and fresh fruit is not) is that it can be contaminated by the machines in which it is processed. When we eat fresh fruit, we wash the outsides of it to remove any contaminants. This is not possible to do with a glass of OJ, though, which is why it needs to be pasteurized.

I am not trying to be snarky. It seems sort of common since to me that if you eat or drink things YOU did not prepare be it fresh juice, or food from anyone or any restaurant, there is a risk of the food being contaminated. Right? Salmonella (the risk with juice) can be spread from chicken juice getting splashed around your own kitchen. From poor hygiene at a store or restaurant or factory.

MiaNovember · December 2010

If you are beating yourself up about this, imagine how I feel about consuming a big ol' block of this from devil Whole Foods the week I got my BFP:

https://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/27/business/la-fi-1127-whole-foods-recall-20101127

ETA: "Whole Foods joined a cheese recall today, pulling seven types of cheddar cheese over the risk of listeria or E. coli." Awesome.

erinlovesdavid · December 2010

Jessicaanne_1@yahoo.com:
erinlovesdavid:
Jessicaanne_1@yahoo.com:

The risk is very slim, its a personal choice. I am a cheese fanatic, I have eaten some brie and buffalo mozzarella during this pregnancy. Although the brie was baked and the mozzarella was on pizza. Last time I was very careful. It didn't bring me a baby. If you would rather be safe than sorry, I totally understand.

As for the juice mentioned in a previous post, I don't know how drinking unpasteurized juice is different than eating a piece of fresh fruit?

Also pasteurized just means heating your food up to kill bacteria.

I could be wrong, but I think reason unpasteurized juice is a concern (and fresh fruit is not) is that it can be contaminated by the machines in which it is processed. When we eat fresh fruit, we wash the outsides of it to remove any contaminants. This is not possible to do with a glass of OJ, though, which is why it needs to be pasteurized.

I am not trying to be snarky. It seems sort of common since to me that if you eat or drink things YOU did not prepare be it fresh juice, or food from anyone or any restaurant, there is a risk of the food being contaminated. Right? Salmonella (the risk with juice) can be spread from chicken juice getting splashed around your own kitchen. From poor hygiene at a store or restaurant or factory.

I'm right there with you. Of course there is the risk of contamination of pretty much any food product. But there is an inherently higher risk associated with consuming products that are known NOT to have been made safer through means such as pasteurization.

nbbride06 · December 2010

I am guilty of drinking unpasteurized apple juice from the farmer's market...bad I know, but I was really hoping it would help with the Zofran constipation!

I am surprised that it was unpasteurized and not in the "special" cheese section of WF!