Can pregnant ladies eat Parma Ham?

Prosciutto di Parma, usually referred to as prosciutto, is a dry-aged ham from the Parma region of Italy. Due to its protected status, only ham from that particular region that complies with very tight requirements may be referred to as Parma ham. Pure sea salt is the only chemical used to preserve the pork; nitrites are not permitted. The taste intensifies as it dries, producing a pink ham with a mildly sweet, nutty flavor. These hams are cured for at least a year, and only after they pass a series of extremely rigorous quality tests are they given the crown brand to indicate that they are authentic Parma hams.

Due to the fact that bacteria and other potentially hazardous microorganisms do not thrive in extremely salted or dry settings, salting and drying ham successfully preserves it.

Pregnant women should exercise caution when eating cold-cured meats like Parma ham, according to the NHS. The NHS advise fully boiling the ham before eating it to remove any chance of contracting toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis, which can result in miscarriage in pregnant women, can be brought on by parasites that occasionally infect uncooked meat.