The French love it: in 2022, nearly two million tonnes of cheese will be consumed in France. But this pleasure is not without danger, recalls Dr Arnaud Cocaul, nutritionist.
Raw milk cheeses, vectors of serious illnesses
In a video for Yahoothe expert recalls that certain raw milk cheeses can harbor bacteria responsible for serious infections.
“You have very well-known cheeses like Camembert, Brie, Saint-Nectaire, Morbier, etc. You also have maroilles. All these cheeses can cause problems.”
The specialist continues: “There are very common infections called foodborne illnesses. For example, salmonellosis, Listeria… These infections can be extremely serious, and even fatal. They are observed in 30 to 60% of cases of consumption of raw milk cheeses.
Pregnancy, fragile immunity… Which populations are at risk?
According to ANSES, pregnant women, immunocompromised people, those over 65 and young children should avoid these cheeses.
An observation that Dr Cocaul agrees with: a pregnant woman “should under no circumstances consume raw milk cheese during pregnancy. and must favor “a cooked, pasteurized cheesehe insists.
The doctor also recalls the importance of monitoring the expiration date. “Because it is raw milk, if you exceed it, you are in danger of possibly developing a foodborne illness which can be followed by hospitalization or even a stay in intensive care.”
To limit the risks, Dr Cocaul recommends a simple action: cooking. “If you make a recipe with cheese made from raw milk but which has been cooked, you will be spared all the problems of food poisoning“.
It also debunks a preconceived idea: removing the rind from raw milk cheese is not enough to eliminate bacteria.
Good reflexes to avoid food poisoning
To avoid any risk of contamination, Dr Kierzek sets out a few simple rules:
- “Wash your hands before handling food and make sure it is thoroughly cooked”;
- “Keep food refrigerated and avoid cross-contamination”;
- “Avoid risky, potentially contaminated foods, especially unpasteurized dairy products, undercooked meats and foods prepared in questionable hygienic conditions.”
As for the expiry date of food, it is only valid when the product is closed, in particular if it is a use-by date or DLC. “This means that you are faced with a microbiologically perishable product. specifies the doctor.
Once opened, you will no longer be able to trust it. “It’s two or three days max even if the date is still good!” he concludes.