Eating unpasteurized cheese puts pregnant women and their unborn children at risk

If you like topping your favorite Mexican dishes with queso fresco, be sure it has been pasteurized.

Eating queso fresco made with unpasteurized milk can be dangerous for women who are pregnant, according to a warning from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Queso fresco has been found to be contaminated with the Listeria bacteria.

Listeria can cause a serious disease called listerosis, which can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or harm a newborn baby. It can also cause death to anyone who consumes this bacterium. At risk are those with a weakened immune system due to age or a chronic disease such as diabetes or cancer.

While Listeria affects people of all ages and genders, pregnant women are 20 times more likely than other healthy adults to contract literosis. During pregnancy, hormones weaken the immune system, making mothers-to-be less able to fight an infection.

Because of dietary habits, Hispanic women are more likely to be exposed to listeria.

Listeria bacteria are commonly found in soil, water, decaying vegetation and the intestinal tract of animals. Listeria has been found in foods that become contaminated after processing, such as deli meats, and soft cheeses and other foods made from unpasteurized milk.

Listeriosis can develop within a few days or even weeks after eating the contaminated food. Symptoms include fever, chills, muscle aches, upset stomach, nausea and/or diarrhea. Even when the mother does not become sick, the bacteria can still infect the unborn baby.

Queso fresco is generally made at home, or is brought from Mexico or Latin America, and is often sold door-to-door or from street vendors.

Homemade queso fresco, queso blanco, panela or asadero-style cheeses are only considered safe when they have been purchased at a store and are marked with a commercial label reading “pasteurized,” says the FDA.

“Outbreaks have become a serious issue in the Hispanic community because of an apparent taste preference for raw milk cheeses and the cultural popularity of making it homemade for both consuming and selling purposes,” said FDA public affairs representative Rosario Quintanilla Vior in a press release.

“The FDA would like the community to be aware that this practice is very dangerous. Any cheese made from raw milk can be contaminated with Listeria and other harmful bacteria because the milk has not gone through the pasteurization process to destroy any presence of bacteria. Eating this cheese can result in sickness or death.”

In the past seven years there have been cases reported of queso fresco contamination in several states, including California, Washington, Texas and North Carolina.

To receive a free brochure about the dangers of eating unpasteurized queso fresco — written in “fotonovela” style — contact Texas Cooperative Extension at (956) 383-1026.

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Nora N. Garza is a County Extension Agent with Texas Cooperative Extension in Hidalgo County, a part of the Texas A&M University System. She can be reached by e-mail at n-garza@tamu.edu.