Can you eat meringues when pregnant?

Last modified on Monday 15 June 2020

Polly Logan-Banks

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Find out if it's safe to eat meringue during pregnancy, plus precautions to take to keep yourself and your baby healthy.

The official advice on eating meringues in pregnancy

Meringues made with British Lion Stamped eggs

These are perfectly safe to eat in pregnancy. According to the NHS, British Lion Stamped eggs come from hens that have been vaccinated against salmonella, so the risk of food poisoning is extremely low, even if the eggs aren't thoroughly cooked (in fact, British Lion eggs are safe to eat raw in pregnancy).

Meringues made with other eggs

When it comes to other meringues, you should be a bit more cautious. Raw or undercooked eggs that don't have the British Lion Stamp could contain salmonella, which can cause food poisoning. You're more susceptible to food poisoning while you're pregnant. While it's unlikely to harm your baby, it can be very unpleasant, so it's best to be wary with non-British Lion eggs.

If the meringues are thoroughly cooked through though, they should be safe to eat. Salmonella is killed by thorough cooking, reducing the risk of food poisoning.

Ready-made meringues

Meringues sold in shops in the UK are thoroughly cooked, and should be safe to eat. If you're eating at a restaurant or friend's house, you could double-check that they've used British Lion eggs, just to be on the safe side.