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Can I eat carbonara while pregnant?

Check Doola Scan's answer in the United States

Classic carbonara is made with raw egg that is set only by the heat of the pasta, so it comes under each country's guidance on raw-egg dishes. Doola Scan shows Avoid for it in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, and Check in the US, UK and Canada. The US and Canada accept raw-egg dishes made with pasteurised egg, and the UK made with British Lion or Laid in Britain hen eggs. Made with pasteurised egg, and with the guanciale or pancetta cooked until steaming hot, carbonara is Check in all six. Parmesan and pecorino show No known issues.

Checked against Doola Scan's pregnancy rules · Updated

  • Classic carbonara: raw egg set by the hot pasta

    CheckUnited StatesUnited KingdomCanadaAvoidAustraliaNew ZealandIreland

  • Carbonara made with pasteurised egg

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Shop-bought carbonara sauce in a jar or chilled pot

    CheckIn all six countries
Doola Scan checking a plate
What each country says

Carbonara while pregnant: what each country says.

Each country's own pregnancy guidance on carbonara, with a link to it. Doola Scan uses your country's first.

  • United States

    Check
    • FDAAvoid raw or undercooked eggs and foods containing them; foods made with pasteurized eggs are fine.Source
    • FDARaw eggs can carry salmonella.Source
    • FoodSafety.gov (HHS)Foods with raw or lightly cooked eggs only with pasteurised eggs.Source
    • FDAAvoid deli meats, fermented and dry sausage unless reheated until steaming hot.Source

  • United Kingdom

    Check
    • NHSRaw eggs that are not Lion-stamped may carry salmonella.Source
    • NHSRaw-egg foods like mayonnaise and mousse fine if made with British Lion or Laid in Britain hen eggs.Source
    • NHSCured meat may carry listeria or toxoplasma.Source

  • Canada

    Check
    • CPSAvoid raw egg and egg dishes with runny yolk.Source
    • Health CanadaAvoid raw-egg foods (homemade mayonnaise, batter, ice cream) unless made with pasteurized liquid eggs.Source
    • CPSAvoid raw egg and egg dishes with runny yolk, such as eggnog.Source
    • Health CanadaAvoid foods with raw egg: some dressings, sauces, cookie dough, cake batter, homemade eggnog (unless heated to 71 °C).Source
    • CPSOnly non-dried deli meats are listed; dried cured meats are not.Source
    • Health CanadaDried and salted deli meats such as salami and pepperoni are listed as SAFER alternatives (no cooking/freezing needed).Source

  • Australia

    • Classic carbonara: raw egg set by the hot pastaAvoid
    • Carbonara made with pasteurised eggCheck
    • Shop-bought carbonara sauce in a jar or chilled potCheck
    • NSW Food AuthorityDo not eat raw egg in food (home-made mayonnaise, aioli, mousse, batter).Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)No homemade mayonnaise, aioli, mousse or raw cake batter; commercial mayo/custard OK.Source
    • FSANZSafer alternatives to raw egg dishes: pasteurised eggs, commercial custard and dressings.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Commercially made products with egg (e.g. shop mayonnaise) are fine; not homemade mayonnaise, aioli, mousse or raw cake batter.Source
    • Better Health Channel (Victoria)Avoid ham, salami and fermented meats unless cooked or heated.Source
    • NSW Food AuthorityProcessed meats only if cooked to at least 75°C and eaten soon after.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Avoid cold cured meats (salami, ham, luncheon meat) unless cooked to 75 °C and eaten straight away.Source

  • New Zealand

    • Classic carbonara: raw egg set by the hot pastaAvoid
    • Carbonara made with pasteurised eggCheck
    • Shop-bought carbonara sauce in a jar or chilled potCheck
    • MPI (NZ Food Safety)Avoid raw eggs (smoothies, mayonnaise, mousse).Source
    • Health NZRaw eggs in eggnog, smoothies, home-made mayonnaise, mousse, tiramisu etc: don't eat; no pasteurised-egg exception.Source
    • MPI (NZ Food Safety)Avoid processed meats (ham, pâté, salami, luncheon) in pregnancy.Source

  • Ireland

    • Classic carbonara: raw egg set by the hot pastaAvoid
    • Carbonara made with pasteurised eggCheck
    • Shop-bought carbonara sauce in a jar or chilled potCheck
    • HSEAvoid foods made with raw or under-cooked eggs, e.g. homemade mayonnaise; cook eggs thoroughly.Source
    • HSEAvoid foods made with raw or under-cooked eggs, such as homemade mayonnaise.Source
    • HSEAvoid cold cured meats such as salami, parma ham, chorizo and pepperoni.Source
What to check

Before you eat carbonara.

  1. Use pasteurised eggs

    The FDA's advice is to cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm, and to use pasteurised eggs for recipes with raw or runny eggs. Pasteurised eggs say so on the carton. Health Canada suggests pasteurised liquid eggs for foods with raw egg. FDA

  2. Or cook the egg sauce to 160°F (71°C)

    The FDA's advice is to use only recipes in which the eggs are cooked or heated to 160°F. The FDA also recommends a food thermometer for checking the temperature of cooked food. FDA

  3. In the UK, use British Lion eggs

    The NHS says British Lion or Laid in Britain hen eggs can be eaten raw or partly cooked, before their use-by date. Other hen eggs, and duck, goose or quail eggs, should be well cooked. Ireland's HSE and Health NZ advise against raw-egg dishes. NHS

  4. Cook the guanciale or pancetta until steaming hot

    The NHS asks for cold cured meats to be cooked until steaming hot, and Health NZ for processed meats to be heated to over 70°C. Ireland's HSE lists cold cured meats, such as parma ham, among foods to avoid. NHS

  5. Eating out, ask how it's made

    Ask whether the carbonara is made with raw egg, pasteurised egg or a cream sauce. The FDA's advice when eating out is to ask if pasteurised eggs were used, and in the UK the FSA notes that eggs eaten out may not be British Lion. FDA

Questions

About carbonara
in pregnancy.

The sauce is raw egg or yolk stirred into hot pasta, so the egg is only lightly cooked, and raw eggs can carry salmonella. Australia, New Zealand and Ireland advise against raw-egg dishes, so Doola Scan shows Avoid there. Spaghetti or any other pasta, the guidance is the same.

Cooked until steaming hot, Doola Scan shows Check for guanciale in all six countries. Before cooking, it shows Avoid in New Zealand and Ireland, where the guidance names cold processed and cured meats, and Check elsewhere. The NHS asks for cured meats to be cooked until steaming hot.

The NHS asks for cured meats cooked until steaming hot, and Health NZ for processed meats heated to over 70°C. Pancetta fried until hot all the way through meets that, by their guidance; Doola Scan shows Check for it in all six countries.

The FDA says commercial sauces contain pasteurised eggs. Doola Scan shows Check for a jarred carbonara sauce in all six countries, so read the label for pasteurised egg and heat it as the label says.

The NHS lists hard cheeses such as parmesan among those you can have in pregnancy, pasteurised or not, and Pregnancy Birth and Baby says the same for parmesan. Doola Scan shows No known issues for parmesan and pecorino in all six countries.

The NHS accepts raw or partly cooked eggs that are British Lion or Laid in Britain hen eggs, so a carbonara made with them meets its guidance. Doola Scan shows Check, because it depends on the eggs and on cooking the cured pork until steaming hot.

The FDA's advice is raw-egg recipes only with pasteurised eggs, or eggs cooked to 160°F. Health Canada asks for pasteurised liquid eggs in foods with raw egg that won't be cooked. Doola Scan shows Check for classic carbonara in both.

The NHS says starchy foods such as pasta are an important source of energy, some vitamins and fibre, and suggests wholewheat pasta. None of these countries' pregnancy food lists names carbonara itself as good for pregnancy.

The guidance is about how to make or order it next time: pasteurised eggs or eggs cooked to 160°F, and the cured pork cooked until steaming hot. If you feel unwell or are unsure, talk to your midwife or doctor.

Yes. Take a photo of the menu, the plate or the jar's label, and Doola Scan checks each ingredient against your country's pregnancy guidance, including egg, cured meat and cheese. Food scans are free, 3 a day.
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Doola shows what official guidance says; it never diagnoses. No known issues means none of these countries' pregnancy guidance names it, not a promise that a food is safe.