We just received an interesting question about beef jerky and whether or not it is safe to eat during pregnancy. And if not…what could be substituted?
Under any other conditions, I love beef jerky, as it is a convenient protein snack that is often overlooked as an option. However, pregnancy is a time when more than one life is exposed to our food choices and it's important to consider the effects of those choices on the person who's passively getting the exposure.
Most pregnancy experts advise against eating beef jerky during pregnancy because it increases the risk of developing a food-borne illness called listeria. Pregnant women seem to be more susceptible to listeria than other people. When exposed, this bacteria can attack the fetus and provoke a miscarriage, stillbirth, or blood infection during infancy. Our clients work waaaay too hard to become pregnant so we want to, to the best of our ability, steer them toward food choices that insure that these fates are not even options.
The website http://www.foodborneillness.com/ provides the following guidelines for reducing your exposure to listeria:
Thoroughly cook raw food from animal sources;
Keep uncooked meats separate from vegetables and from cooked and ready-to-eat foods
Avoid milk that is not pasteurized and sold raw or foods – such as cheese – made from milk that is not pasteurized;
Wash hands, knives, and cutting boards after handling uncooked foods
Wash raw vegetables thoroughly before eating
Consume perishable and ready-to-eat foods as soon as possible.
Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon, or deli meats, unless they are reheated until steaming hot.
Wash hands after handling those products.
Do not eat soft cheeses (such as feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined, or Mexican-style cheese), unless theyhave labels that clearly state they are made from pasteurized milk.
Do not eat meat spreads or smoked seafood from the refrigerated or deli section of the store (canned or shelf-stable products may be eaten).
I normally do not have a problem with raw diets or raw milk. During pregnancy however, it is especially important to thoroughly wash produce and consider holding off on raw milk until after your baby is born.
OK, now what to do if you have to give up beef jerky!
I found vegetarian jerkies made from two different sources, soy and seitan. Here are some links to some of the options available in the amazon.com store.
In moderation these should be ok. Remember, however, that soy contains estrogenic compounds and too much holds potential to affect your hormone balance.
The second option, made with seitan, looks good as well. If you are following a gluten-free diet, know that seitan is unadulterated gluten. This product is not for you.
Here is a recipe for seitan jerky if you are a kitchen adventurer.
http://veganepicurean.blogspot.com/2009/06/black-pepper-seitan-jerky.html
And there you have it, a somewhat long-winded answer, that hopefully answers questions you might have about listeria and pregnancy.