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Can I eat pepperoni while pregnant?

Check Doola Scan's answer in the United States

Pepperoni baked on a pizza until steaming hot shows Check in Doola Scan in all six countries: the check is that it is cooked through and eaten hot. Cold pepperoni from the pack shows Check in the US, UK and Canada and Avoid in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. The NHS asks for cold cured meats such as pepperoni to be cooked until steaming hot, and the HSE names pepperoni among cold cured meats to avoid. Health Canada is the exception that lists dried meats like pepperoni among its "safer" choices.

Checked against Doola Scan's pregnancy rules · Updated

  • Pepperoni baked on pizza or cooked into a hot dish

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Cold pepperoni slices from the pack

    CheckUnited StatesUnited KingdomCanadaAvoidAustraliaNew ZealandIreland
Doola Scan checking a plate
What each country says

Pepperoni while pregnant: what each country says.

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

  • United States

    Check
    • FDAAvoid deli meats, fermented and dry sausage unless reheated until steaming hot.Source
    • FDAListeria grows at fridge temperatures; heating kills it.Source
    • FoodSafety.gov (HHS)Reheat hot dogs, deli meats and fermented or dry sausage to steaming hot or 165°F.Source
    • USDA FSISPregnant mothers should avoid deli meats and hot dogs not heated to 165°F.Source

  • United Kingdom

    Check
    • NHSCured meat may carry listeria or toxoplasma.Source
    • NHSCold cured meats (salami, pepperoni, chorizo, prosciutto) should be cooked until steaming hot.Source

  • Canada

    Check
    • 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
    • CPSAvoid uncooked hot dogs and non-dried deli meats.Source
    • Health CanadaHot dogs not straight from pack - heat to 74 °C; avoid non-dried deli meats (bologna, roast beef, turkey) unless steaming hot.Source

  • Australia

    • Pepperoni baked on pizza or cooked into a hot dishCheck
    • Cold pepperoni slices from the packAvoid
    • 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
    • NSW HealthDo not eat cold deli meats.Source
    • Better Health Channel (Victoria)Deli meats only if further cooked or heated.Source
    • FSANZAvoid unpackaged deli-counter and packaged sliced cold meats unless freshly cooked or reheated steaming hot.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Processed meats only if cooked to at least 75°C and eaten straight away.Source

  • New Zealand

    • Pepperoni baked on pizza or cooked into a hot dishCheck
    • Cold pepperoni slices from the packAvoid
    • MPI (NZ Food Safety)Avoid processed meats (ham, pâté, salami, luncheon) in pregnancy.Source
    • Health NZAvoid cold meats from deli counters and sandwich bars, and packaged sliced ready-to-eat meats.Source

  • Ireland

    • Pepperoni baked on pizza or cooked into a hot dishCheck
    • Cold pepperoni slices from the packAvoid
    • HSEAvoid cold cured meats such as salami, parma ham, chorizo and pepperoni.Source
What to check

Before you eat pepperoni.

  1. Bake it on the pizza until steaming hot

    The NHS lists cold cured meats such as salami, pepperoni, chorizo and prosciutto among foods to cook until steaming hot. FoodSafety.gov asks for fermented or dry sausage to be reheated until steaming hot or 165°F. NHS

  2. Eat the pizza while it's hot

    Pregnancy, Birth and Baby asks you to avoid cold cured meats unless they're cooked to 75°C and eaten straight away. By that line, pizza fresh from the oven meets it, and cold leftover pepperoni pizza needs reheating first. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby

  3. In Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, skip it cold

    Ireland's HSE lists cold cured meats such as salami, parma ham, chorizo and pepperoni as foods to avoid. Health NZ advises against packaged sliced ready-to-eat meats, and New Zealand's MPI against processed meats such as salami. HSE

Questions

About pepperoni
in pregnancy.

Pepperoni pizza shows Check in all six countries, because the pepperoni bakes with it. Eat it hot from the oven, and reheat any leftovers until steaming hot.

Cold pepperoni shows Check in the US, UK and Canada and Avoid in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. In the US and UK, the check is cooking it until steaming hot first.

Heated until steaming hot, on a pizza or in a pasta sauce, pepperoni shows Check in all six countries. The NHS says cold cured meats may contain listeria, and the FDA says heating kills it.

Health Canada lists dried and salted deli meats, such as salami and pepperoni, among its "safer" choices, while it asks for non-dried deli meats to be heated. Doola Scan shows Check for cold pepperoni in Canada.

Doola Scan reads a takeaway pizza by its toppings, whichever chain it comes from. Pepperoni baked on it shows Check in all six countries; eat it while it's hot.

Baked on pizza or heated until steaming hot, pepperoni shows Check in all six countries. Cold, it shows Avoid in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland and Check in the US, UK and Canada.

The guidance is the same in every trimester. The advice on cold cured meats applies from the first weeks of pregnancy to the last.

Yes. Take a photo of the pizza, the menu or the pack, and Doola Scan checks each topping against your country's pregnancy guidance, with what to ask. Food scans are free, 3 a day.
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Not sure about a meal? Scan it.

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.