Salami

Salami is a cured, fermented, and air-dried sausage typically made from pork. NHS guidance says that cold cured meats including salami are safe to eat during pregnancy without additional preparation. However, like all deli and cured meats, salami is not cooked at high heat during production, which means there is a theoretical Listeria risk if the meat is contaminated. Listeria is the main food safety concern during pregnancy because — unlike most bacteria — it can grow at refrigerator temperatures and, if ingested in pregnancy, can cause serious harm to the baby even when the mother has only mild symptoms. In practice, listeriosis from salami is rare, but pregnant women are more susceptible than the general population. Heating salami until it is steaming hot before eating is the easiest way to remove any risk. On pizza, salami and pepperoni are fully heated in the oven and are completely safe. In a hot sandwich, panini, or pasta sauce, the heat again makes it safe. If eating it cold from a packet, the NHS says this is acceptable, but the US FDA advises pregnant women to heat all deli meats first. Salami is also high in salt and saturated fat — it is best as an occasional food rather than a daily one.