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Can I eat mushrooms while pregnant?

Check Doola Scan's answer in the United States

Cooked mushrooms show No known issues in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland; raw mushrooms show Check in all six. The CDC says people at higher risk of listeria shouldn't eat raw mushrooms and should eat them only cooked thoroughly, and Health NZ says raw mushrooms can carry listeria. Enoki mushrooms show Check everywhere, and the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand all ask for enoki to be cooked thoroughly. The NHS names only enoki, and asks for other vegetables to be washed.

Checked against Doola Scan's pregnancy rules · Updated

  • Cooked mushrooms: button, chestnut, portobello or shiitake, in sauces, stir-fries or soups

    No known issuesIn all six countries

  • Raw mushrooms, sliced into salads

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Enoki mushrooms, in hot pot, ramen or stir-fries

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

Mushrooms while pregnant: what each country says.

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

  • Doola has no source from Ireland on this yet; its answer comes from the other countries' guidance.

  • United States

    • Cooked mushrooms: button, chestnut, portobello or shiitake, in sauces, stir-fries or soupsNo known issues
    • Raw mushrooms, sliced into saladsCheck
    • Enoki mushrooms, in hot pot, ramen or stir-friesCheck
    • CDCPeople at increased risk should not eat raw mushrooms; eat mushrooms only if cooked thoroughly.Source
    • FDACDC and FDA: pregnant people should cook enoki mushrooms thoroughly and not eat them raw.Source
    Washing raw vegetables
    • FDAAvoid unwashed fresh vegetables, including lettuce and salads.Source

  • United Kingdom

    • Cooked mushrooms: button, chestnut, portobello or shiitake, in sauces, stir-fries or soupsNo known issues
    • Raw mushrooms, sliced into saladsCheck
    • Enoki mushrooms, in hot pot, ramen or stir-friesCheck
    • NHSOnly enoki mushrooms must be cooked thoroughly; other vegetables safe if washed.Source
    • NHSEnoki may contain listeria.Source
    Washing raw vegetables
    • NHSSoil on produce can carry bacteria and toxoplasma.Source

  • Canada

    • Cooked mushrooms: button, chestnut, portobello or shiitake, in sauces, stir-fries or soupsNo known issues
    • Raw mushrooms, sliced into saladsCheck
    • Enoki mushrooms, in hot pot, ramen or stir-friesCheck
    • CFIAOnly eat thoroughly cooked enoki (70°C for at least 2 minutes) when pregnant.Source
    Washing raw vegetables
    • Health CanadaRinse delicate produce under cool running water; scrub firm produce.Source

  • Australia

    • Cooked mushrooms: button, chestnut, portobello or shiitake, in sauces, stir-fries or soupsNo known issues
    • Raw mushrooms, sliced into saladsCheck
    • Enoki mushrooms, in hot pot, ramen or stir-friesCheck
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Raw sprouts, mushrooms and rockmelon are high-risk listeria foods.Source
    • FSANZDo not eat enoki mushrooms raw; refrigerate and cook thoroughly.Source
    • NSW Food AuthorityDo not eat enoki raw or lightly cooked.Source
    Washing raw vegetables
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Wash fruit, vegetables and herbs to remove soil (toxoplasma).Source

  • New Zealand

    • Cooked mushrooms: button, chestnut, portobello or shiitake, in sauces, stir-fries or soupsNo known issues
    • Raw mushrooms, sliced into saladsCheck
    • Enoki mushrooms, in hot pot, ramen or stir-friesCheck
    • Health NZRaw mushrooms can carry listeria.Source
    • Health NZSeed sprouts and enoki mushrooms: don't eat unless cooked.Source
    Washing raw vegetables
    • Health NZWash and dry all fresh fruit and vegetables well just before eating.Source

  • Ireland

    • Cooked mushrooms: button, chestnut, portobello or shiitake, in sauces, stir-fries or soupsNo known issues
    • Raw mushrooms, sliced into saladsCheck
    • Enoki mushrooms, in hot pot, ramen or stir-friesCheck
    Washing raw vegetables
    • HSEWash all fruit, vegetables and pre-packed salads before eating.Source
What to check

Before you eat mushrooms.

  1. Cook mushrooms through, not raw

    The CDC asks people at higher risk of listeria to eat mushrooms only if cooked thoroughly. Australia's Pregnancy Birth and Baby lists raw mushrooms among higher-risk foods for listeria. CDC

  2. Cook enoki until steaming hot

    The CFIA asks pregnant people to eat enoki only thoroughly cooked, to 70°C for at least 2 minutes. The NHS says enoki must be cooked thoroughly before eating, and FSANZ says not to eat them raw. CFIA

  3. Keep fresh mushrooms in the fridge

    The FDA lists mushrooms among perishable produce to keep chilled in a clean fridge at 4°C (40°F) or below. FSANZ also asks for enoki to be refrigerated. FDA

Questions

About mushrooms
in pregnancy.

Raw mushrooms show Check in all six countries. The CDC asks people at higher risk to eat mushrooms only cooked, Health NZ says raw mushrooms can carry listeria, and Australia's Pregnancy Birth and Baby lists them among higher-risk foods. The NHS names only enoki.

Cooked mushrooms show No known issues in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. Cooking is what the CDC and Health NZ ask for.

The FDA and CDC ask pregnant people to cook enoki thoroughly and not eat them raw, after US listeria outbreaks linked to enoki, and Canada's CFIA asks for 70°C for at least 2 minutes.

Cooked, they show No known issues in all six countries. Sliced raw into a salad, they follow the raw-mushroom Check.

The guidance doesn't change by trimester. The cooking advice for mushrooms applies from the first weeks to the last.

The NHS asks for at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day in pregnancy, and says they provide vitamins, minerals and fibre.

The guidance is about how to eat them next time. If you feel unwell or are unsure, talk to your midwife or doctor.

Yes. Take a photo of the label, the menu or the plate, and Doola Scan checks each ingredient against your country's pregnancy guidance. Food scans are free, 3 a day.
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Point Doola at a plate, a menu or a label. It checks every ingredient against your country's pregnancy guidance and shows its sources. 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.