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It's time to be careful about the cheeses you eat! Health authorities warn the most vulnerable populations against the consumption of raw milk cheese
In early July, health authorities issued an alert on the consumption of certain products made from raw milk. Reblochon, Rocquefort, Brie, Pélardon, Salers and certain camemberts such as Mont d´Or and Morbier are the cheeses mainly concerned. Yes, if they have nutritional qualities, they are also a danger!
More fragile people
This alert particularly concerns children under 5 years old. You will have to be more vigilant about the products you buy for your little ones. Raw milk cheeses present a real risk of bacterial infection. No worries ! If your child is over 5, the risk is much less.
Pregnant women should also be careful. Indeed, raw cheese and pregnancy do not mix well. Camembert, fresh goat cheese, brie or even feta cheese should be banned during the 9 months of gestation!
Do not forget the immunocompromised people, in other words people already hospitalized or weakened.
A significant risk of infection
Despite the precautions taken by the staff, there is a real risk of infection from raw milk cheese. It should be noted that raw milk is often marketed without prior heat treatment and can be the cause of contamination of the raw material by pathogenic bacteria.
What is the cause ? Infection of the udders or an incident during milking can cause contamination of the milk with harmful bacteria such as Salmonella, Listeria, Escherichia Coli (also called E-coli bacteria).
It is important to note that these bacteria can have a low impact on healthy adults but can cause serious problems which can lead to the death of more sensitive people.
Prefer pressed cheeses cooked with pasteurized milk
It is preferable to favor cooked pressed cheeses such as Emmental, Comté, Gruyère, processed cheeses to spread as well as cheeses made from pasteurized milk.
As a reminder, it is important to store dairy products while ensuring compliance with the cold chain. Indeed, breaking this chain can lead to a risk of food poisoning.
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When pregnant, can I eat cold cuts?
Food diversification: what food to give at what age?