Can I have seafood highlighters during pregnancy?
I think what you’re referring to is imitation crab meat. While it is true that imitation crab meat does not contain high levels of mercury, that doesn’t mean it is unconditionally safe for pregnant women to eat. Imitation crab meat falls into the same safety category as deli meats, which means that you can eat it but it must be heated to steaming first. The reason for this is because there have been known outbreaks of listeria monocytogenes associated with imitation crab meat. While your chances of becoming ill because of exposure to this bacteria are slight, remember that pregnant women are 20 times more susceptible than other healthy adults. If you become ill with listeria while pregnant, the chances are very good you will lose your baby, so this is probably not something you want to risk. So, I would definitely heat them very well. Just remember to do that with any food that you eat! Nothing RAW during pregnancy to be at the safe side.
