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taam
Citizen
Username: Taam
Post Number: 93
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 10:31 pm: | 
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Is the cheese you find in most ravioli (I usually get it from Village Trat. or Maplewood Pizza), Ricotta Cheese? If so, I'm nervous, b/c I am 6 months pregnant & have been eating way too much of it. Now that somebody's brought it to my attention, I am freaking out a bit. Any advice? I've been feeling the baby kick a ton, but still. Now, I am aware that Ravioli in general is not the most healthy of meals, so please keep those opinions out of this thread & stick to what I'm concerned about. Thanks for any advice!!!! |
kathy
Citizen
Username: Kathy
Post Number: 1273
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 10:35 pm: |
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Yes, ricotta is the cheese most often found in ravioli. Is there some particular problem with ricotta and pregnancy? I certainly have not heard of it. |
cody
Citizen
Username: Cody
Post Number: 963
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 10:40 pm: |
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Before you get too upset, please remember that lots of pregnant Italian women living in Italy have healthy babies and have probably eaten much more ricotta than you have eaten.
I hadn't heard any problems w/ricotta and pregnancy, either. Is it Listeria again? That's usually connected with certain cheeses. |
taam
Citizen
Username: Taam
Post Number: 95
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 10:40 pm: |
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I thought it was a soft, non-pasteurized cheese? Is that not correct? (Please tell me it's not correct!) |
cody
Citizen
Username: Cody
Post Number: 964
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 10:43 pm: |
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Here's what cheese.com says about ricotta:
Traditional, creamery, whey cheese made from cow's milk. It is a basin-shaped cheese, pure white and wet but not sticky. Good Ricotta should be firm, not solid and consist of a mass of fine, moist, delicate grains, neither salted nor ripened. It is white, creamy and mild and is primarily used as an ingredient in lasagna. It is primarily made with cow's milk whey which is heated to 170 degrees F. Citric acid is added to encourage destabilization and separation and the temperature is quickly raised to 185 degrees F. Proteins from the whey separate rise and coagulate; the proteins (lactalbumin) are skimmed off and put in a wicker basket to drain for two days after which the "cheese" is ready for market. There are three distinct varieties of ricotta: ricotta salata moliterna (ewe's milk whey), ricotta piemontese (cow's milk whey + 10% milk) and ricotta romana (a byproduct of Romano cheese production).
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taam
Citizen
Username: Taam
Post Number: 96
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 10:45 pm: |
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Thanks cody. I wonder if that means it's a pasteurized cheese? |
cody
Citizen
Username: Cody
Post Number: 965
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 10:48 pm: |
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Here's more from another site:
Raw milk can be used as the starting material for the production of ricotta cheese as the heat treatment during curd formation more than meets the heat requirements for pasteurization. |
Spitz
Supporter
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 1510
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 10:51 pm: |
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taam - Not to worry. My daughter in law avoided soft cheeses during her pregnancy, and these were feta, brie, blue cheese. These are the "soft cheeses" listed on the FDA website to avoid during pregnancy. |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 634
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 10:57 pm: |
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Taam - First, relax and call your OB in the morning to double check what you read on MOL. You and the baby are going to be fine! Even if you eat unpastuerized ricotta that has been cooked in ravioli (boiled for many minutes!), the food will be safe from what I've read.
Here's a brief summary from Center for Disease Control
Quote:Recommendations for persons at high risk, such as pregnant women and persons with weakened immune systems, in addition to the recommendations listed above: Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, or deli meats, unless they are reheated until steaming hot.
Avoid getting fluid from hot dog packages on other foods, utensils, and food preparation surfaces, and wash hands after handling hot dogs, luncheon meats, and deli meats.
Do not eat soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, and Camembert, blue-veined cheeses, or Mexican-style cheeses such as queso blanco, queso fresco, and Panela, unless they have labels that clearly state they are made from pastuerized milk.
Do not eat refrigerated pâtés or meat spreads. Canned or shelf-stable pâtés and meat spreads may be eaten.
Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood, unless it is contained in acooked dish, such as a casserole. Refrigerated smoked seafood, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna or mackerel, is most often labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked," or "jerky." The fish is found in the refrigerator section or sold at deli counters of grocery stores and delicatessens. Canned or shelf-stable smoked seafood may be eaten.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/listeriosis_g.htm#reducerisk |
kriss
Citizen
Username: Kriss
Post Number: 269
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 11:20 pm: |
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taam,
I echo what others have said here. I've had two kids and in neither of those pregnancies was I told to avoid ricotta. Brie and feta were off limits, but not ricotta.
The pasteurization process AND the boiling of the ravioli both would kill any Listeria. Avoid ricotta for the rest of your pregnancy, if that makes you feel better, but do NOT worry about the ravioli that has come before. It did NOT hurt your baby!
Now, get some rest, and congratulations on your little bundle!
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Greeneyes
Citizen
Username: Greeneyes
Post Number: 771
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 11:29 pm: |
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taam,
You reminded me that during one bad food day during my last pregnancy I ate most of a 15 oz container of Polly-O ricotta cheese. I started out just tasting while I was making ziti. The next thing I knew I needed another container of ricotta to make the ziti. Boy was that cheese tasty!
I wouldn't worry too much. Most commonly found ricotta products are made with pasteurized milk. The fat and calorie content can be high, but so is the calcium. Call your doc to be sure.
Congrats on the pregnancy! |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 639
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 11:32 pm: |
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Greeneyes, actually you can make an Atkin's dessert by mixing a teaspoon of good quality cocoa with a cup of ricotta cheese and a bit of Equal. Stir, chill and enjoy! |
Greeneyes
Citizen
Username: Greeneyes
Post Number: 774
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 - 11:39 pm: |
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Pdg,
Hmmm, that sounds like something I might enjoy. Thanks. I'll make it for the family, since they seem to be hitting the sweets hard lately. |
taam
Citizen
Username: Taam
Post Number: 97
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 7:28 am: |
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Thanks for everyone's advice. I feel a million times better & will double check w/ doc this a.m. Thank you again!! |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 10946
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 7:59 am: |
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I think the FDA requires all cheese sold here in the United States to be pasteurized, although I suspect some specialty cheese shops bypass that rule. Last I heard this wasn't the case in Europe, especially France. My French friends tell me pasteurization destroys the taste. |
BGS
Citizen
Username: Bgs
Post Number: 753
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 8:28 am: |
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taam-I never even heard that I should not eat Brie during pregnancy and I am here to tell you that I have two very healthy girls 24 and 25 years of age...Back in the day you were not even told not to smoke or drink during pregnancy. I am sure that your babette is just fine!!
Ciao!
BGS |
Alleygater
Citizen
Username: Alleygater
Post Number: 1320
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 9:28 am: |
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Taam, I WANT TO ECHO AND CLARIFY what Bob K said. ANY CHEESE MADE IN THE USA MUST BE PASTEURIZED BY LAW. So check the label and see if it is made in the USA. There is NOTHING WRONG with you eating Brie made in the USA...well other than the fact that they taste pretty bland because by law they have been pasteurized. That is why imported brie blow away ALL American made brie. The same is going to be true of Ricotta (and ALL CHEESES for that matter), if it's made in the USA you are safe.
Also, you are VERY SAFE eating Ravioli anyway because they are cooked in BOILING WATER which would kill off the offending bacteria/disease. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 10949
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 9:33 am: |
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Alleygater, I also am pretty sure that imported cheese sold in the US must be pasteurized, but I suspect there are ways around this. |
Alleygater
Citizen
Username: Alleygater
Post Number: 1324
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 10:49 am: |
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I'll leave it to a cheese expert (or at least a googler with more time on their hands than I) to answer that. But I suspect that importing IS THE WAY AROUND IT. Import runny cheese from France, it's most certainly NOT going to be pasteurized. Are you suggesting that the French make intentionally flavorless brie to export/sell in the American market? I suppose it's possible, but I don't think that it's true. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 12955
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 - 12:01 pm: |
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We had ravioli for dinner last night. It will be hard to convince me there's anything wrong with ravioli.
Yes, there are raw milk cheeses imported, but they're not as good. I think the FDA requires a certain amount of aging or something. We were in France this past August. There is no comparison.
Is the singular of ravioli "raviolo"?
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