During pregnancy, your immune system is suppressed due to hormonal changes. This means that you must take extra caution regarding food choices. Ribs are a meal enjoyed by many women but pose the risk of food-borne illnesses that could harm you or your unborn baby if eaten cold. You don't have to avoid ribs until delivery, but it is safer to reheat them during pregnancy.
Eating Ribs
Pork and beef ribs contain many nutrients that are important during pregnancy, including protein and iron. However, it is important to ensure that you cook them properly to prevent illnesses that are potentially dangerous while you are pregnant. This means avoiding undercooked ribs. Beef and pork ribs are safe when cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, as measured by a meat thermometer. Cold, leftover ribs are not safe to eat during pregnancy. Reheat them thoroughly before consuming.
Food Safety
Properly storing leftover ribs is an important step in ensuring that they are safe to eat later. Place remaining ribs in the refrigerator as soon as possible. If they have been out for more than two hours, throw them away because they are not safe to eat. If the portion of ribs is large, divide it into smaller amounts and store in shallow containers in the refrigerator. During pregnancy, eating cold meat increases your risk of food-borne illnesses, making it vital to reheat leftover ribs to 165 degrees before eating them, which kills bacteria that could compromise your pregnancy.
Tips
When reheating cold ribs, use a meat thermometer to ensure that they are hot enough to be safe for eating. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, which allows you to determine whether the entire portion of ribs is safe. During the reheating process, avoid using cooking utensils, cutting boards or dishes that have been in contact with raw ribs. This prevents the risk of contamination with bacteria that was present on the raw meat. Either the microwave or the oven works well for reheating cold ribs.
Considerations
When dining out, order ribs well-done, which means you won't see any pinkness throughout the meat. If leftover ribs that you didn't cook are offered, use caution because they may not have been cooked to the proper temperature. If you are ever in doubt about the safety of cold ribs during pregnancy, it is better to make an alternate choice than to risk an illness.
