As a general rule, the best foods to eat are freshly and thoroughly cooked or freshly prepared. Take care to always store and prepare food safely. Don’t eat anything that has passed its use-by date. Here is a guide to eating safely during pregnancy. Dairy products Drink only pasteurised or ultra-heat treated (UHT or long-life) milk. Make sure that you only eat dairy products made from pasteurised milk. Don't eat mould-ripened soft cheese, such as brie, camembert and chevre (a type of goat's cheese) and others with a similar rind. You should also avoid ricotta, feta, mozzarella, bocconcini and blue-veined cheeses. These may contain listeria, which can get in during the manufacturing process. It’s okay to eat them if they are cooked to at least 75°C and eaten straight away. It’s fine to eat hard cheeses such as cheddar, parmesan and edam. Hard cheeses are more acidic than soft cheeses, so bacteria are less likely to grow in them. Many other types of soft cheese are okay to eat, but make sure they're packaged by the manufacturer. They include cottage cheese, cream cheese and processed cheeses such as cheese spreads. Don't eat soft-serve ice cream. It is stored at a temperature that allows listeria to grow. It’s okay to eat packaged frozen ice cream. Eggs Make sure eggs are thoroughly cooked until the whites and yolks are solid. This prevents the risk of salmonella food poisoning. Don’t eat foods that contain raw or undercooked eggs, such as homemade mayonnaise, aioli, mousses, or cake batters. It’s okay to eat commercially-made, non-refrigerated products containing egg, but make sure to store them correctly. Don’t use dirty eggs, or eggs that were cracked and stored before use. Meat Don't eat rare meat. Undercooked meat may contain toxoplasma or salmonella. Cook all meat and poultry thoroughly so it is steaming hot and there is no trace of pink. Take care with pork, sausages and minced meat, including burgers. Wash all surfaces and utensils thoroughly after preparing raw meat. Use a separate chopping board and knife. It's also important to remember to wash your hands after touching or handling raw meat. Avoid cold cured meats, such as salami, ham, chorizo and pepperoni. It’s okay to eat them if they are cooked to at least 75°C and eaten straight away. Don’t eat cold meats from delicatessen counters and sandwich bars, packaged sliced ready-to-eat meats or cold cooked ready-to-eat chicken. Avoid all types of pâté. These may contain listeria. Hot take-away chicken is fine if you eat it straight away. Limit your intake of liver or liver products, such as liver pâté or liver sausage — don’t eat more than 50 grams per week, as they contain a lot of vitamin A. Fish and seafood Fish contains protein and essential omega-3 fatty acids, so it is recommended in pregnancy. However, it’s important to limit your intake of fish with higher levels of mercury. You can do this by following these guidelines (keep in mind that a serving is 150 grams): Shark (also called flake), broadbill, marlin and swordfish should be eaten no more than once every 2 weeks. Don’t eat any other fish during that 2 week period. Orange roughy (also called deep sea perch) and catfish should be eaten no more than once a week. Don’t eat any other fish during that week. Any other fish or seafood should be eaten no more than 2 to 3 times a week. Freshly cooked fish and seafood are safe to eat within these guidelines. Make sure to cook them to at least 63°C and eat them straight away. Don’t eat raw or chilled fish or seafood. This includes raw oysters, sashimi and sushi, smoked ready-to-eat seafood and cooked ready-to-eat chilled prawns. These have a higher risk of listeria contamination. The safest way to enjoy sushi is to make your own. Choose fully cooked or vegetarian varieties. Avoid buying sushi. Fruit and vegetables Avoid pre-prepared or pre-packaged fruit or vegetable salads, including those from buffets and salad bars. They are at risk of listeria contamination. Don’t eat rockmelon or any type of sprouts, as they may contain listeria or salmonella. Wash fruit, vegetables and herbs to remove all traces of soil and dirt. Toxoplasma can sometimes be found in soil. Sesame seeds may contain salmonella, so it’s best to avoid all sesame products, such as hummus, tahini and halva.