Is String Cheese Safe During Pregnancy? (Updated 2026 Guide)

Updated September 9, 2026

The Answer

Yes you can eat pasteurized string cheese during pregnancy when it has been kept refrigerated and you follow its use by and after opening instructions. Avoid versions made with raw or unpasteurized milk; pasteurization does not eliminate the need for safe handling.

The main pregnancy consideration is foodborne illness, including Listeria, rather than ordinary cheese ingredients such as cultures and enzymes. Choose the exact pasteurized version and keep it refrigerated, because ingredient grades cannot detect contamination. Flags for additives or sage do not establish fetal harm from an ordinary serving: some concerns come from high dose animal studies or concentrated herbal exposures rather than typical food use.

Pregnancy Safe is 100% independent and research driven. No companies pay to promote or sponsor products.

✓ What's Safe

• Check the exact package for pasteurized milk, including pasteurized part skim milk, rather than relying on the brand name.
• Choose string cheese that is refrigerated at purchase and keep it cold during transport and storage.
• Read the use by date and follow any separate instructions for storage after opening.
• Check whether you are buying ordinary mozzarella string cheese or a different cheese type with different pregnancy precautions.
• For mixed snack packs, read the ingredients and handling instructions for every component, not just the cheese.

✗ What to Avoid

• Avoid string cheese made with raw or unpasteurized milk.
• Do not assume a label that says only milk confirms pasteurization; check with the manufacturer or choose a clearly labeled version.
• Skip cheese that has not been kept refrigerated as directed or is beyond its use by or after opening limit.
• Do not use an A grade, organic claim, or simple ingredient list as proof that a package is free of Listeria.
• Avoid eating cold deli meat or dry sausage from a cheese snack pack; those components need heating to 165°F or until steaming hot.
• Do not apply ordinary string cheese guidance to queso fresco type cheeses, which require heating even when made with pasteurized milk.

Most Common Ingredients in String Cheese Products

We analyzed 340 string cheese products. Here are the most common ingredients, ranked by how often they appear:

salt

93%

enzymes

80%

pasteurized part skim milk

49%

cheese cultures

40%

cheese culture

31%

vitamin a palmitate

17%

pasteurized milk

14%

vinegar

10%

low moisture part skim mozzarella cheese pasteurized part skim milk

microbial enzymes

cultured pasteurized part skim milk

organic cultured pasteurized part skim milk

Ingredients to Watch Out For in String Cheese

These are the most common flagged ingredients across 340 string cheese products we analyzed.

and sage

Caution

And sage is a fragrant herb known for its earthy, slightly peppery flavor and aromatic leaves, often used to enhance savory dishes.

Is generally low concern at normal culinary amounts but medicinal teas, extracts, supplements, and essential oil should be avoided or clinician reviewed in pregnancy due to limited data and thujone exposure concerns.