Yes, duck is safe to eat when pregnant, with the exception of wild duck. However you should always make sure it's thoroughly cooked. This is because the NHS says that all meat should be well cooked with no trace of pink or blood when you're pregnant.
No. It's best not to eat undercooked or raw meat during pregnancy, as it may make you ill and could even harm your baby. You may become infected with the toxoplasma parasite if you eat meat that is raw or pink and bloody in the middle.
The FDA advises that if you're pregnant, you should treat duck the same way as chicken, and cook it all the way through (source: FDA). This means it has to reach an internal temperature of 165F (74c). For comparison, “pink” duck – the way it's usually served – is usually only cooked to about 125F / 52c.
Duck breast is best served medium rare and pink in the middle as overcooking can cause it to dry out.
Most Chinese food is fine to eat while you're pregnant as long as the dish is served hot. However, just as with other types of cuisines, there are some ingredients that are safer than others during pregnancy.
The bottom line
During pregnancy, eating right-sized portions of foods with MSG isn't likely to land you with a slew of unpleasant symptoms — and it won't harm your growing baby, either. You can feel free to enjoy umami-flavored veggies, nuts, broths (and, yes, even the occasional Chinese takeout) without concern.
Yes, you can eat at a Chinese buffet while pregnant, but be sure to take some precautions. First, avoid any dishes that contain raw or undercooked meat, eggs, shellfish, or fish. These ingredients can harbor harmful bacteria that can put you and your unborn baby at risk for food poisoning.
Don't do it. Rice is a food that should never, ever be reheated, pregnant or not. It is an extremely high risk foodstuff. It is not worth the risk.
You're especially vulnerable to bacteria when you're pregnant, so stay away from hot or cold food that's been sitting out at room temperature for two hours or more.
While you're preparing food at home it's simple to stay in control of what you're eating and how it is being cooked. But going out is an important part of life, and the occasional takeaway is a great treat. Pregnancy is no reason to miss out on either of these things!
Unlike chicken, duck breast has a hue and texture akin to that of red meat and is safe to consume medium-rare, so bring on the pink. Perfectly cooked duck breast will have moist and juicy meat, with a luscious and crunchy skin.
Duck breast is often served 'pink' or 'rare' but the Food Standards Agency advises cooking duck, like chicken, until it is no longer pink, for safety.
If you have a food thermometer, use it to measure the temperature of the thickest part of the bird, either the drumstick or the breast. For chicken, duck, or turkey, it's done when the thermometer reaches about 80°C / 175°F.
While there is some concern about fermented foods like kimchi (especially when it comes to making them at home) commercial sauces are made in sterile conditions. Hoisin sauce is therefore safe during pregnancy.
Information. Duck and goose are poultry and considered "white" meat. Because they are birds of flight, however, the breast meat is darker than chicken and turkey breast. This is because more oxygen is needed by muscles doing work, and the oxygen is delivered to those muscles by the red cells in the blood.
Feta and haloumi
These salty sheep's milk cheeses are safe to eat in pregnancy when they're cooked and eaten while still hot. Try a frittata with feta, spinach and red capsicum to boost your vitamin K, thiamine and calcium. Feta can also be made from cow's and goat's milks.
Opt for cooked seafood dishes, such as grilled oysters or prawns. Pre-made sushi may carry listeria bacteria, even if it doesn't contain raw fish (FSANZ ndb, NSW FA 2014, 2015, 2016a). Go easy on shark (flake), swordfish (broadbill), marlin, orange roughy (deep-sea perch) and catfish.
While you're preparing food at home it's simple to stay in control of what you're eating and how it is being cooked. But going out is an important part of life, and the occasional takeaway is a great treat. Pregnancy is no reason to miss out on either of these things!
Foods to avoid are listed for a range of reasons, but in most cases there is a higher risk those foods may contain harmful bacteria such as listeria or salmonella. Ham, salami, luncheon, chicken meat etc. Any raw meat, raw chicken or other poultry, beef, pork etc.
ALL CHICKEN PRODUCTS CONTAIN MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE. NOT RECOMMENDED FOR INFANTS BELOW 12 MONTHS AND PREGNANT WOMEN.
Best bets: Sushi rolls made with cooked seafood, like eel, or veggies like avocado or cucumber. California rolls made with imitation crab (it's actually cooked fish, often pollack) are safe. Tamago (egg omelet on rice) or spinach gomae (cooked towers of the leafy green) are great choices.
Best bets: Menu items with grilled chicken, which is 100-percent breast meat with no fillers or additives. The Market Salad with grilled chicken provides a nice balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fat and features plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables (like berries, cabbage, red and green apples, and strawberries).
There are many items on the McDonalds menu containing ingredients that are safe for pregnant women. However, processed food is never a great choice in pregnancy. You'll have to ensure your order is cooked fresh, and also adapt it by avoiding some ingredients.