Craving a classic Italian sub, packed with deli meats, cheese, and toppings, is common during pregnancy. However, pregnancy requires heightened food safety awareness to protect both the mother and the developing baby. Understanding the specific risks associated with certain ingredients is the first step in deciding how to safely satisfy this craving. The safety of a cold Italian sub rests entirely on mitigating potential contamination risks.
Understanding the Risk: Deli Meats and Listeria
The primary concern with consuming a traditional Italian sub is the presence of cold cuts, such as salami, capicola, and ham, which pose a risk of contamination with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. This bacterium causes an infection called listeriosis, and pregnant individuals are about ten times more likely to contract this illness than the general population. Listeria is unique among foodborne pathogens because it can survive and even slowly grow at refrigeration temperatures, meaning cold deli meats are a potential source of infection.
If a pregnant person contracts listeriosis, the symptoms may be mild, often resembling the flu with fever and muscle aches, or they may even be asymptomatic. However, the bacteria can cross the placenta, leading to serious consequences for the fetus. Possible outcomes include miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infections in the newborn such as sepsis or meningitis. Because of these severe potential outcomes, avoiding or properly treating deli meats is a widely recommended safety precaution.
Making a Sub Safe: The Heating Requirement
Heat effectively destroys Listeria monocytogenes, providing a clear pathway to safely consuming an Italian sub. To eliminate the risk of listeriosis, all deli meats must be heated to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). This temperature must be reached throughout the meat, typically indicated by the meat being steaming hot.
This requirement means a cold Italian sub must be transformed into a hot one, such as a meatball sub or a toasted panini, to be safe. Practical methods include using a microwave, conventional oven, or toaster oven until the meat is visibly steaming. If ordering from a deli, specifically request that the meats be heated to this temperature before assembly. Once properly heated, the meats are safe for consumption, even if allowed to cool slightly before eating.
Evaluating Other Ingredients: Cheeses and Produce
Beyond the deli meats, the cheese and the produce also require careful consideration. Cheese safety depends on the pasteurization status of the milk used. Most hard cheeses and soft cheeses like mozzarella and provolone, common on an Italian sub, are made with pasteurized milk and are safe to eat.
Avoid soft, mold-ripened, or Mexican-style cheeses made from unpasteurized or raw milk, as these can also harbor Listeria. Always check the label to confirm the cheese is made with pasteurized milk, especially when consuming fresh mozzarella. Raw vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, and onions carry a risk of contamination with bacteria or the Toxoplasma gondii parasite.
Contamination usually occurs from soil contact or improper handling, so thorough washing is necessary to mitigate this risk. Even if the vegetables are prepared at a deli, ensure all produce is washed before being eaten. The risk of toxoplasmosis is low, but the potential consequences, which can include fetal brain injuries, make careful washing a necessary precaution.
Final Safety Guidance and Alternatives
Enjoying an Italian sub while pregnant is conditionally safe: the deli meats must be heated until steaming hot, reaching 165°F. This single step addresses the most significant foodborne risk associated with the sandwich. Confirming that any cheese used is made from pasteurized milk and that all raw vegetables are thoroughly washed completes the safety protocol.
If heating the deli meat is not an option, or if the craving is for a cold sandwich specifically, safer alternatives can satisfy the desire for a hearty sub. Options that bypass the Listeria risk include vegetarian subs, or those made with fully cooked meats like grilled chicken or tuna salad. These choices allow for a safe and flavorful meal without modifying the temperature of the cold cuts.