# Were you aware the CDC recomends pregnant women heat deli meats to 165 degrees? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 11, 2016, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927 "2016-04-11T20:55:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/1 "2016-04-11T20:55:10Z")
I wasn’t aware of this. Apparently Subway wasn’t either and they are retraining staff. Obviously that store clerk was a jerk. Microwaving a sandwich at a customer’s request isn’t difficult. Serving customers are what they are there to do. Is this because of concerns over food poisoning? Seems kind of odd the CDC issued such a strong statement. Food poisoning isn’t that common. A car wreck driving to the restaurant is more likely to happen. [http://www.aol.com/article/2016/04/11/subway-employee-allegedly-denies-pregnant-customer-s-medical-req/21342111/](http://www.aol.com/article/2016/04/11/subway-employee-allegedly-denies-pregnant-customer-s-medical-req/21342111/) > [@](#): > > According to the CDC, pregnant women must heat deli meat to 165 degrees to prevent the risk of bacteria, which could be harmful to the baby. > [@](#): > > Channel 13 reached out the restaurant’s manager and heard back from Jan Gute Monday. She said this event has sparked a store-wide retraining effort. Gute plans to talk to the employee Monday and says she’s not yet sure if this is a fireable offense. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/2 "2016-04-11T20:56:42Z")
It’s because listeriosis can kill a fetus. And yes, I knew it. I’ve been pregnant six times. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/3 "2016-04-11T21:00:55Z")
Pregnant women are recommended to not eat un- or under-cooked deli meats like salami and pastrami, but cooked items like roast beef or sliced turkey should be OK if they have been properly refrigerated and not mixed with those other items. It sounds like that employee was being a butt. Microwaving something for a customer is no big deal! You never know; maybe someone just plain old doesn’t like cold sandwiches. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/4 "2016-04-11T21:04:44Z")
Microwaving a sandwich isn’t a fireable offense. Being rude to any customer is generally frowned on by management. Especially for a simple request like, “please heat my sandwich”. I didn’t know about the issue with pregnant women and deli meats. But we were always told to be polite and please the customer when I worked in retail jobs. I would have heated the sandwich and not given it a second thought. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/5 "2016-04-11T21:04:48Z")
I was pregnant relatively recently, so I knew about the deli meat. The issue is listeria – which, for most healthy adults, you could be exposed to and not even feel sick. However, it’s a specific danger during pregnancy. So yes, like you say, it’s not that common, but it’s the sort of thing where if you (you being a pregnant lady), are in the very small minority of people who are exposed to it, the consequences are potentially serious. As I recall, listeria is one of the few bacteria that can cross through the placenta. I think it’s reasonable for Subway to heat up deli meat for anyone who asks. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/6 "2016-04-11T21:11:52Z")
I learned something important today. I’ll be sure my daughters are aware of the listeria dangers. They aren’t pregnant yet but probably will be in another couple years. Gotta protect my future grandbabies. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/7 "2016-04-11T21:20:48Z")
So many people just don’t adhere to basic customer service. I don’t care if the customer wants the meat microwaved because she thinks it’ll help her fend of the government’s black helicopter squads, you do it. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/8 "2016-04-11T21:38:47Z")
Given that she’s pregnant and apparently health conscious, what the hell is she doing at a Subway sandwich store? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/9 "2016-04-11T21:40:29Z")
I’ve heard of more unusual cravings. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/10 "2016-04-11T21:41:04Z")
But none sadder. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/11 "2016-04-11T22:58:01Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Pregnant women are recommended to not eat un- or under-cooked deli meats like salami and pastrami, but cooked items like roast beef or sliced turkey should be OK if they have been properly refrigerated and not mixed with those other items. Australian guidelines recommend [all meat be heated before consumption during pregnancy](http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/foodsafetyandyou/life-events-and-food/pregnancy/foods-to-eat-or-avoid-when-pregnant), with certain categories to be avoided altogether. There’s no suggestion that cold roast beef or turkey are safe for consumption. Are the US guidelines different in this regard? ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2016, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/12 "2016-04-11T23:28:23Z")
There’s a lot of pregnancy related health things that are learned once you become pregnant, or are involved with someone who is pregnant. Another reason prenatal care is so important, it exposes folks to information they may not have otherwise known. I knew about the deli meat. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/13 "2016-04-12T00:34:43Z")
> [@Eliahna](#): > > Australian guidelines recommend [all meat be heated before consumption during pregnancy](http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/foodsafetyandyou/life-events-and-food/pregnancy/foods-to-eat-or-avoid-when-pregnant), with certain categories to be avoided altogether. There’s no suggestion that cold roast beef or turkey are safe for consumption. Are the US guidelines different in this regard? No, the CDC (public health agency) does not distinguish among types of lunch meat, to my knowledge. I think seafood salad is also discouraged for pregnant women, but frankly anyone who eats lunch counter seafood salad is probably taking their life in their hands. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/14 "2016-04-12T03:57:02Z")
Yes, my wife is pregnant and she told me about the restrictions on deli meat. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/15 "2016-04-12T05:53:37Z")
> [@from the article](#): > > She says the man even tried to prove the meat was hot enough by pulling out a thermometer. It read 140 degrees. I’m somewhat confused by the fact that the kid working the sandwich counter didn’t have enough time to microwave some deli meat for the woman, but did have enough time to scrounge up a meat thermometer and demonstrate that the meat wasn’t room temperature. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/16 "2016-04-12T22:05:45Z")
A good deal of deli meat also has additives that are not recommended for pregnant women. My daughter was advised to just not have cold cuts at all. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/17 "2016-04-12T22:14:52Z")
No, I didn’t know. The last I knew, they were telling women not to eat deli meat at \*all \*when pregnant. While I would have humored the woman (because I make it a rule not to piss people off unnecessarily) using a microwave is a crappy way to heat anything fully and evenly. The toaster would have been a better tool for the task anyhow. I might ask them to toast it twice if I was paranoid, but every sandwich I’ve had toasted from Subway is hot enough that I can’t eat it immediately anyhow. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/18 "2016-04-13T00:11:06Z")
I didn’t know about the listeria danger, either. But I did once work food service, and our instructions were clear: If it is within our capability to fill a customer’s order as they request it, and it doesn’t violate any safety regulations, do it. For extreme requests, the cashier might need to figure out some novel way to bill it, but still do it. And microwaving an order, if you have a microwave, is not an extreme request. Heck, I once served a customer an order of extra cheese (it’s on the menu, after all!), because that’s what she asked for. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/19 "2016-04-13T00:20:01Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I’m somewhat confused by the fact that the kid working the sandwich counter didn’t have enough time to microwave some deli meat for the woman, but did have enough time to scrounge up a meat thermometer and demonstrate that the meat wasn’t room temperature. Yeah, usually I’m sympathetic to the workers in cases like this, because it often comes out that the customer was obnoxious or the request actually violated a policy they had been warned about. But there’s no way that he doesn’t have time to toss it in the microwave and nuke it but does have time to lecture her and get a meat thermometer. ---
**Author:** ![svd678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@svd678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/svd678)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2016, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927/20 "2016-04-14T03:28:28Z")
I don’t think the heating in a Subway is up to 165 degrees? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-aware-the-cdc-recomends-pregnant-women-heat-deli-meats-to-165-degrees/751927.md?page=2)