Mayonnaise
Safe★★★★★
Processed
Mayonnaise is an emulsion of oil, egg and acid. Shop-bought jars and sachets are made with pasteurised egg and are safe in pregnancy; homemade mayonnaise made from raw egg is the one to skip.
Why it's good in pregnancy
A spoonful adds unsaturated fats that help you absorb fat-soluble vitamins from the salad or vegetables it dresses, and it can make a plain sandwich or bowl much easier to eat on a queasy day.
Key nutrients
Healthy FatsMostly unsaturated oils that help absorb fat-soluble vitamins from vegetables and salads.
Serving ideas
A thin spread in a tuna or egg sandwich
Stirred into a potato or coleslaw salad kept chilled
Mixed with yogurt and herbs as a lighter dip
A dollop with roast vegetables
Safety
Commercial, shelf-stable mayonnaise is made with pasteurised egg — safe.Skip homemade or restaurant mayonnaise, aioli or hollandaise made from raw egg unless you know pasteurised egg was used.Keep opened jars refrigerated and within their use-by date.Choose jars, squeeze bottles or sachets from the supermarket, which use pasteurised egg and are made under food-safety controls. Ask before eating homemade mayonnaise, aioli or Caesar dressing in cafés and restaurants, as these are often made with raw egg. Once opened, keep mayonnaise in the fridge and never leave mayonnaise-based salads out in the sun.
Common questions
Can I eat mayonnaise while pregnant?Yes — shop-bought mayonnaise is made with pasteurised egg and is safe. Avoid homemade mayonnaise made from raw egg.
Is restaurant aioli safe in pregnancy?Only if it was made with pasteurised egg; ask, and skip it if the kitchen cannot say.
Does mayonnaise have to be kept cold?Once opened, yes — refrigerate it and keep mayo-based salads chilled.
Did you know?
The pregnancy concern with raw-egg mayonnaise is salmonella, which pasteurisation removes.
Light mayonnaise swaps some oil for water and starch, lowering the fat but not the egg content.
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