Smoked salmon in pregnancy: why to avoid it and what to eat instead
The short answer
No, smoked salmon is not recommended during pregnancy, unless it is cooked in a dish served hot. Manger Bouger, Ameli and Santé publique France list smoked fish among the foods to avoid, because of Listeria, a bacterium that cold smoking does not destroy and that keeps multiplying in the fridge. Fresh cooked salmon, on the other hand, is one of the most recommended fish during pregnancy for its omega-3: a 100 g fillet baked in the oven provides three times more EPA and DHA than 50 g of smoked salmon.
These guidelines follow official French recommendations. If you are in any doubt, your midwife or doctor can advise you.
Why is smoked salmon not recommended?
Shop-bought smoked salmon is salted and then cold smoked, at a temperature that does not cook the flesh. It is then sliced, packed and kept in the fridge for several weeks. Yet Listeria monocytogenes is one of the few bacteria able to multiply in the cold, and ready-to-eat seafood is one of its known sources.
Listeriosis is rare, fewer than fifty cases a year among pregnant women in France according to Santé publique France, but it is serious: the bacterium can cross the placenta and cause a miscarriage, a premature birth or a severe infection in the newborn. Hence the precautionary recommendation from the authorities: no smoked fish, no raw fish and no marinated fish during pregnancy.
What analyses and recalls show
The recommendation is not based on a mere hypothesis. Several official sources show that smoked fish is one of the foods where Listeria is found most often:
| Source | What it found |
|---|---|
| EFSA European survey, 2010-2011, in 26 EU countries | Listeria monocytogenes present in 10.3% of smoked or marinated fish analysed at the end of their shelf life; the regulatory limit of 100 bacteria per gram exceeded in 1.7% of cases |
| EFSA, 2018 | more than 90% of severe listeriosis cases would be due to heavily contaminated ready-to-eat foods, and about a third of cases to the bacterium multiplying at the consumer’s home, after purchase |
| RappelConso, 2021 to September 2026 | 102 recall notices for Listeria on smoked salmon or trout products, with 16 to 25 notices a year since 2023 |
Two practical lessons. First, one pack of smoked salmon in ten may contain the bacterium, most often in small amounts: that is enough to justify caution during pregnancy. Second, a large part of the risk arises at home, when an opened pack stays in the fridge for several days: Listeria then keeps multiplying.
Cold smoked, hot smoked: the same rule
Most smoked salmon sold in slices is cold smoked, at a temperature that does not cook the flesh. There is also hot-smoked salmon, with opaque flesh, sold as fillets in the chilled aisle. Official recommendations speak of smoked fish without making a distinction, and the European survey covered both types: in both cases, it is a ready-to-eat product kept cold for days or weeks. During pregnancy, hot-smoked salmon is therefore treated like the other kind: to be heated right through in a hot dish.
The traffic light for salmon
| Form | Pregnant | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Smoked salmon in slices, cold | 🔴 avoid | cold smoking, kept cold |
| Smoked trout, smoked herring, taramasalata | 🔴 avoid | same reason |
| Gravlax, marinated salmon | 🔴 avoid | marinated fish, not cooked |
| Salmon sushi, sashimi, tartare, ceviche, tataki | 🔴 avoid | raw fish |
| Smoked salmon cooked in a quiche, hot pasta, a gratin | 🟢 allowed | heated right through until piping hot |
| Fresh salmon cooked right through: oven, en papillote, steamed, pan-fried | 🟢 recommended | oily fish rich in omega-3 |
| Tinned salmon | 🟢 allowed | fish cooked by sterilisation, not smoked |
| Salmon still pink in the middle, medium-cooked | 🟠 conditional | cook until the flesh is opaque and flakes apart |
Smoked salmon is therefore not banned « as salmon »: it is the way it is prepared that causes the problem. Once heated right through in a piping hot dish, it no longer poses a risk of listeriosis.
Trout, herring, mackerel, haddock: the other smoked fish
The recommendation covers all smoked fish, not only salmon. Some are eaten cold, others are cooked: that is what makes the difference.
| 100 g of | Calories | EPA + DHA | Salt | How it is eaten | Pregnant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoked farmed salmon | 188 kcal | 1.42 g | 2.86 g | cold, in slices | 🔴 avoid cold |
| Smoked wild salmon | 121 kcal | not measured | 2.93 g | cold, in slices | 🔴 avoid cold |
| Smoked farmed trout | 171 kcal | 0.99 g | 3.10 g | cold, in slices | 🔴 avoid cold |
| Smoked mackerel | 289 kcal | 3.74 g | 1.54 g | cold, as fillets | 🔴 avoid cold |
| Smoked herring in oil, herring and potato salad in oil | 168 kcal | 4.21 g | 4.08 g | cold, in salad | 🔴 avoid |
| Pickled herring, rollmops | 189 kcal | 1.23 g | 2.18 g | cold | 🔴 avoid: marinated fish |
| Haddock, smoked | 97 kcal | 0.25 g | 1.91 g | poached in milk | 🟢 poached right through, served hot |
Haddock is the most practical case: it is a smoked fish that is most often prepared poached in milk. Cooked until the flesh is opaque and flakes apart, it becomes an option again during pregnancy. It is also very rich in iodine, 255 µg per 100 g according to Ciqual. By contrast, smoked mackerel and herring, rich in omega-3, are sold to be eaten cold: keep them for hot dishes, for example flaked into a pan-fry of potatoes served piping hot.
What you lose, what you gain
| For | Calories | Protein | EPA + DHA | Iodine | Salt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 g of smoked salmon | 92 kcal | 11.1 g | 0.71 g | 20 µg | 1.43 g |
| 100 g of baked salmon | 214 kcal | 22.1 g | 2.15 g | – | 0.15 g |
| 100 g of steamed salmon | 199 kcal | 23.0 g | 1.75 g | 17 µg | 0.13 g |
| 100 g of tinned salmon, drained | 144 kcal | 21.0 g | 1.25 g | 49 µg | 1.02 g |
| 100 g of baked mackerel | 228 kcal | 21.5 g | 2.14 g | 46 µg | 0.21 g |
Smoked salmon is also very salty: 2.86 g of salt per 100 g, twenty times more than fresh cooked salmon. By replacing it with cooked salmon, you gain omega-3 and lose salt.
Why keep oily fish during pregnancy
DHA, a long-chain omega-3, contributes to the development of the baby’s brain and retina. EFSA recommends that pregnant women add 100 to 200 mg of DHA a day to the 250 mg of EPA and DHA advised for adults. Manger Bouger advises eating fish twice a week, including one oily fish, well cooked: salmon, sardine, mackerel, herring, trout. It recommends limiting eel, monkfish, sea bass, sea bream, skate and tuna, and avoiding swordfish, marlin, dogfish (saumonette), shark and lamprey, because of mercury.
See our guides how much fish a week and foods high in omega-3.
How to cook smoked salmon so that it is safe
« Cooked » smoked salmon is safe only if it has genuinely been heated right through. Anses recommends reheating dishes that are eaten hot to an internal temperature above 70 °C. In practice:
- in a sauce: add the strips to the simmering cream or sauce and cook for a few minutes, until the flesh turns opaque and pale;
- in a quiche, a savoury cake, a gratin: the dish must be cooked all the way through and served steaming hot;
- in an omelette or scrambled eggs: the eggs must be well set, and the salmon heated with them;
- leftovers: three days at most in the fridge, then reheated until piping hot.
Salmon simply placed on hot pasta or a toasted slice of bread does not heat enough to be safe.
Brunch and festive meals, dish by dish
Smoked salmon is the king of brunches, nibbles and festive meals. Here are the most common dishes, and what to replace them with:
| Dish | Pregnant | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Bagel or open sandwich with smoked salmon and cream cheese | 🔴 avoid | bagel with flaked cooked salmon or tinned tuna |
| Eggs Benedict with salmon | 🔴 avoid on two counts | well-cooked poached egg, yolk set, with reheated ham |
| Blinis with smoked salmon and cream | 🔴 avoid | warm blinis with homemade rillettes of cooked salmon |
| Verrines, rolls and bites with smoked salmon | 🔴 avoid | hot bites: salmon puff pastries baked in the oven |
| Gravlax or marinated salmon | 🔴 avoid | roasted salmon fillet |
| Creamy pasta with smoked salmon, salmon cooked in the sauce | 🟢 allowed | |
| Salmon and spinach quiche, served hot | 🟢 allowed | |
| Homemade salmon rillettes, with fresh cooked salmon | 🟢 allowed | keep cold and eat within 3 days |
For other festive seafood, see our pages taramasalata in pregnancy, prawns in pregnancy and sushi in pregnancy.
Rillettes, sandwiches, wraps: hidden smoked salmon
Smoked salmon slips into many products where you would not expect it. Salmon rillettes from the chilled aisle are the best example: of the 23 salmon rillettes sold in France whose ingredients list is legible on Open Food Facts, 17 contain smoked salmon, often mixed with cooked salmon. Even when the label says only « salmon », these are ready-to-eat products kept cold, which the page taramasalata in pregnancy already ranks among the spreads to avoid.
The same logic applies to sandwiches, wraps, mixed salads and sushi platters from the chilled aisle: the smoked salmon in them is served cold. A baguette sandwich with smoked salmon and butter also provides 1.89 g of salt per 100 g according to Ciqual. Flavoured versions, with five peppercorns or with dill and lemon, change nothing: it is the same cold-smoked salmon.
For picnics, a sandwich with fresh salmon cooked the day before, tinned tuna or sardines, with salad vegetables washed at home, is an easy replacement for these products.
Safe recipe ideas
- Baked salmon fillet: the oily fish of the week.
- Salmon en papillote with baby vegetables.
- Pasta with smoked salmon, the salmon added to the hot sauce and cooked for a few minutes until it turns opaque.
- A salmon and spinach quiche, baked in the oven and served hot.
- Grilled sardines, to vary your oily fish.
For festive meals, a roasted salmon fillet or well-cooked scallops are a good replacement for smoked salmon. See also our guides foie gras in pregnancy and eating during pregnancy.
And while breastfeeding?
While breastfeeding, the precautions against listeriosis that apply to pregnancy no longer apply: smoked salmon is an option again. Oily fish remain recommended for DHA, which passes into breast milk. See our guide eating while breastfeeding.
Frequently asked questions
Can you eat smoked salmon when pregnant?
Cold, no: smoked fish is not recommended during pregnancy because of listeriosis. Cooked in a hot dish, yes.
Is cooked smoked salmon allowed in pregnancy?
Yes, if it is heated right through, in a quiche, pasta or gratin served piping hot.
Can you eat salmon sushi when pregnant?
No: raw fish is not recommended during pregnancy. Maki rolls with vegetables, omelette or cooked fish are fine.
Is tinned salmon allowed in pregnancy?
Yes: it is cooked by sterilisation and not smoked. It provides 1.25 g of EPA and DHA per 100 g.
I ate smoked salmon while pregnant, what should I do?
The risk from a one-off portion is low. If you have a fever in the following weeks, even a mild one, tell your doctor or midwife.
Is hot-smoked salmon allowed in pregnancy?
Not cold: the recommendations cover all smoked fish, and it is also a ready-to-eat product kept cold. Heated right through in a hot dish, it is an option.
How likely is smoked salmon to contain Listeria?
In the EFSA European survey, the bacterium was present in 10.3% of smoked fish at the end of their shelf life, and above the regulatory limit in 1.7% of cases.
Can you eat a salmon bagel when pregnant?
Not with cold smoked salmon. A bagel with fresh cooked salmon or tinned tuna is fine.
Is smoked salmon placed on hot pasta cooked?
No: it does not heat enough. It must cook for a few minutes in the sauce, until the flesh is opaque, to reach more than 70 °C at the centre.
Is haddock allowed in pregnancy?
Yes, if it is poached or cooked until the flesh is opaque and flakes apart, and served hot. Cold, like all smoked fish, it is to be avoided.
Can you eat herring and potato salad in oil when pregnant?
No: these are smoked herring served cold. Fresh herring, grilled or pan-fried, is recommended.
Is frozen smoked salmon safe in pregnancy?
No: Santé publique France points out that freezing fish does not eliminate Listeria. Only cooking right through makes smoked salmon safe.
Are shop-bought salmon rillettes allowed in pregnancy?
Best avoided: 17 of the 23 salmon rillettes surveyed on Open Food Facts contain smoked salmon, and they are ready-to-eat products kept cold. Make them at home with fresh cooked salmon.
Can you eat it when pregnant? The series
Food by food, what is allowed, conditional or to be avoided during pregnancy: cheesecake in pregnancy, foie gras in pregnancy, feta in pregnancy, mozzarella in pregnancy, raclette in pregnancy, surimi in pregnancy, charcuterie in pregnancy, tiramisu in pregnancy, chorizo in pregnancy, taramasalata in pregnancy, honey in pregnancy, camembert and brie in pregnancy, prawns in pregnancy, soft-boiled egg in pregnancy, sushi in pregnancy, cured ham in pregnancy, hummus in pregnancy, tinned tuna in pregnancy.
Our sources
- Manger Bouger (Santé publique France), « Quels aliments éviter et quelles précautions prendre quand on est enceinte ? », updated 2026.
- Santé publique France, 1000 premiers jours website: « Les précautions alimentaires pendant la grossesse ».
- Ameli, « Les aliments à éviter et les précautions d’hygiène pendant la grossesse ».
- Santé publique France, listeriosis surveillance data.
- EFSA, dietary reference values for fats, 2010: DHA during pregnancy.
- Ciqual 2025 table (Anses): smoked salmon, baked salmon, steamed salmon, tinned salmon, mackerel.
- EFSA. Analysis of the baseline survey on the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in certain ready-to-eat foods in the EU, 2010-2011, Part A. EFSA Journal, 2013.
- EFSA. Listeria monocytogenes contamination of ready-to-eat foods and the risk for human health in the EU. EFSA Journal, 2018 (PMC7391409).
- RappelConso, public product recall dataset (data.economie.gouv.fr), smoked salmon and trout, 2021 to September 2026.
- Anses, « Qu’est-ce que la listériose et comment s’en prémunir ? »: reheating above 70 °C, leftovers for less than three days.
- Santé publique France, guide « De la grossesse à l’arrivée de bébé » (Manger Bouger, ref. DT05-535-26B): smoked or marinated fish not recommended; freezing fish does not eliminate Listeria.
- Ciqual 2025 table (Anses): smoked farmed and wild salmon, smoked trout, smoked mackerel, smoked herring in oil, pickled herring, smoked haddock, baguette sandwich with smoked salmon.
- Open Food Facts, ingredients lists of 23 salmon rillettes sold in France, survey of 26 September 2026.
