Experts discourage pregnant women from consuming carpaccio because it is generally made of raw meat or fish. As a pregnant woman’s immune system is at its weakest and that of her unborn child not yet developed, this puts her at 20 times higher risk of contracting listeria. It can result in miscarriage, pre-term delivery or stillborn birth.
Carpaccio, a classic Italian appetiser, was first invented by Giuseppe Cipriani for the countess Amalia Nani Mocenigo. A classic carpaccio consists of raw beef, thinly sliced and liberally coated with olive oil and lemon juice and garnished with capers and onions. The dish was named after an Italian painter Vittore Carpaccio, known for employing vivid tones of red and white in his work.
In contemporary cuisine, you may find vegetable carpaccio or fruit carpaccio. It is best to ask your ob-gyn before consuming it.
