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Can I eat poached eggs while pregnant?

Check Doola Scan's answer in the United States

A poached egg with a runny yolk shows Check in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, and Avoid in Canada, where Health Canada asks for firm yolks with no exception for stamped eggs. Poached until the yolk is firm, it shows Check in all six countries: the check is that the yolk and white are both set. The US, Australia and New Zealand ask for firm yolks, and Health NZ names poached eggs in that line. In the UK, the NHS accepts runny poached eggs from British Lion or Laid in Britain hen eggs.

Checked against Doola Scan's pregnancy rules · Updated

  • Poached egg with a runny yolk, on toast or avocado

    CheckUnited StatesUnited KingdomAustraliaNew ZealandIrelandAvoidCanada

  • Poached until the yolk is firm

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Eggs benedict, with hollandaise

    CheckUnited StatesUnited KingdomAustraliaNew ZealandIrelandAvoidCanada
Doola Scan checking a plate
What each country says

Poached egg while pregnant: what each country says.

Each country's own pregnancy guidance on poached egg, 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

    Check
    • FDACook eggs until yolk and white are firm; recipes with raw or runny eggs only with pasteurized eggs.Source
    • FDARaw eggs can carry salmonella.Source
    • FoodSafety.gov (HHS)Cook eggs until yolks and whites are firm; egg dishes to 160°F.Source

  • United Kingdom

    Check
    • FSAWhen eating out, pregnant people should make sure eggs are thoroughly cooked, as they may not be British Lion or Laid in Britain.Source
    • NHSNon-Lion eggs are more likely to carry salmonella.Source
    • NHSBritish Lion or Laid in Britain hen eggs can be eaten raw or runny; other eggs only well-cooked.Source

  • Canada

    • Poached egg with a runny yolk, on toast or avocadoAvoid
    • Poached until the yolk is firmCheck
    • Eggs benedict, with hollandaiseAvoid
    • CPSAvoid raw egg and egg dishes with runny yolk.Source
    • Health CanadaCook eggs until the yolks are firm; no exception for stamped or certified eggs.Source
    • Health CanadaCook eggs until yolks are firm; egg dishes to 74°C.Source

  • Australia

    Check
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Cook eggs until whites and yolks are hard; no runny-egg exception.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Cook eggs until whites and yolks are hard.Source

  • New Zealand

    Check
    • Health NZCook eggs well (firm yolks); no raw eggs.Source
    • Health NZCook eggs well with firm yolks; raw-egg dishes: don't eat.Source
What to check

Before you eat poached egg.

  1. Poach until the yolk is firm

    Health NZ's pregnancy guide lists poached eggs among cooked eggs to cook well, with firm yolks. The FDA asks for eggs to be cooked until yolk and white are firm. Health NZ

  2. In the UK, a runny yolk needs the red lion stamp

    The NHS says hen eggs with the red British Lion stamp, or from the Laid in Britain scheme, can be eaten raw or partly cooked, before the use-by date. Other hen eggs, and duck, goose or quail eggs, should be well cooked. NHS

  3. Eating out, ask for the yolk cooked hard

    The FSA asks pregnant people eating out to make sure eggs are thoroughly cooked, because a cafe's eggs may not be British Lion or Laid in Britain. FSA

  4. For a runny yolk in the US, use pasteurised eggs

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

Questions

About poached egg
in pregnancy.

It depends on the yolk. Runny, a poached egg shows Check in five countries and Avoid in Canada; with a firm yolk, it shows Check in all six, where the check is that the yolk is set.

The NHS says British Lion or Laid in Britain hen eggs can be eaten runny, before the use-by date. Other eggs should be well cooked, and the FSA asks you to make sure eggs are thoroughly cooked when eating out.

None of these countries' pregnancy guidance sets minutes for boiled or poached eggs. They ask for the result: yolk and white firm in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The FDA gives minutes only for fried eggs: 2 to 3 a side, or 4 in a covered pan.

Eggs benedict usually has a runny poached egg, so Doola Scan shows Avoid in Canada and Check in the other five countries.

The NHS lists eggs among the protein foods to eat every day in pregnancy, and Health NZ says eggs give you protein and iron and are a useful source of iodine. Cooked the way your country's guidance asks, they count.

The egg guidance is the same all through pregnancy. None of the six countries changes it by trimester.

The guidance is about how to cook eggs 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.