Can I Eat Smoked Salmon When Pregnant?

Can you eat smoked salmon when pregnant? This is one of the more nuanced food safety questions in pregnancy. Shop-bought cold-smoked salmon is generally considered safe by the NHS when eaten promptly and stored correctly, but it does carry a small listeria risk because it is not cooked. Hot-smoked salmon, which is fully cooked during the smoking process, is a safer choice. Here is everything you need to know.

Is Smoked Salmon Safe in Pregnancy?

Cold-smoked salmon

Cold-smoked salmon (such as the sliced salmon you find on most UK supermarket shelves, used in bagels or starters) is cured and smoked at a low temperature. It is not cooked. Because it is a chilled, ready-to-eat food that has not been heat-treated, it carries a potential — though low — risk of listeria contamination.

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can survive at fridge temperatures and cause listeriosis, a rare infection that can be more serious during pregnancy. The NHS includes cold-smoked fish such as smoked salmon in its guidance on foods to be careful with, alongside other chilled ready-to-eat foods.

Hot-smoked salmon

Hot-smoked salmon (such as flaked hot-smoked fillets, sometimes sold in vacuum packs) is smoked at a higher temperature that cooks the fish thoroughly. It has a flaky, fully cooked texture rather than the silky raw texture of cold-smoked salmon. Hot-smoked salmon is the safer option in pregnancy because the cooking process eliminates listeria and other pathogens.

NHS Guidance on Smoked Salmon in Pregnancy

• Eat it promptly — do not let it sit open in the fridge for several days before eating.
• Check the use-by date — and do not eat it beyond that date.
• Store it correctly — keep it refrigerated at the right temperature and in its sealed packaging until ready to eat.
• Prefer hot-smoked salmon if you want to reduce risk further, since it is fully cooked.

In practice, many pregnant women in the UK eat cold-smoked salmon from reputable supermarkets without incident. The absolute risk is low. However, if you want to be cautious — particularly in the first trimester when you may feel most anxious about food choices — switching to hot-smoked salmon or thoroughly cooked salmon is a straightforward way to remove any concern.

What about smoked salmon on cooked dishes?

If cold-smoked salmon is heated thoroughly — for example, stirred into a warm pasta sauce, baked in a quiche, or added to a hot dish until steaming — it becomes fully cooked and the listeria risk is eliminated. In this form, it is safe in exactly the same way as any cooked salmon.

How to Eat Smoked Salmon Safely in Pregnancy

• Prefer hot-smoked (cooked) salmon where possible — it provides all the nutritional benefits with no listeria concern.
• If eating cold-smoked salmon, buy from a reputable UK supermarket or fishmonger, check the use-by date, keep it refrigerated, and eat it the day you open the pack.
• Cook it if in doubt — adding cold-smoked salmon to a hot dish until it is fully heated through makes it safe.
• Avoid it raw at restaurants if you are unsure how long it has been stored or whether it is from a reputable source.
• Limit oily fish to two portions per week — smoked salmon, like fresh salmon, is an oily fish. Count it towards your two-portion-per-week limit alongside other oily fish such as mackerel, sardines, and trout.

Nutritional value of smoked salmon in pregnancy

Smoked salmon retains most of the nutritional benefits of fresh salmon:

• Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA) — important for your baby's brain, eye, and nervous system development.
• Protein — essential for growth and tissue repair.
• Vitamin D — supports bone development and immune function.
• B12 — important for the nervous system and red blood cell production.
• Selenium — an antioxidant supporting thyroid function.

One thing to note: smoked salmon can be high in salt due to the curing process. This is not a safety concern, but if you are monitoring your salt intake — for example, if you have been advised about blood pressure — it is worth being aware of.

Frequently Asked Questions

Try not to worry. The risk from a single exposure is low. Keep an eye out for symptoms of listeriosis in the days following, which can include fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea. If you develop any of these symptoms, contact your GP or call 111. Many people who consume listeria-contaminated food experience no symptoms at all.

Is smoked salmon safe in the first trimester?

The same guidance applies throughout pregnancy. If you want to be especially cautious in the first trimester, opt for hot-smoked (cooked) salmon rather than cold-smoked, or ensure any cold-smoked salmon is thoroughly heated through before eating.

Can I eat smoked salmon cream cheese bagels when pregnant?

The smoked salmon element carries the small listeria consideration described above. Cream cheese in the UK is made from pasteurised milk and is safe in pregnancy. If you want to enjoy this combination safely, use hot-smoked salmon, or ensure the cold-smoked salmon is very fresh and from a reputable source consumed promptly after purchase.

Always speak to your midwife or GP if you have specific concerns about your diet during pregnancy.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

Last reviewed: June 2026

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