Can I Eat Pre-cut melon left out >2 hours While Pregnant?

Why

Once melon is cut, its moist, low acid flesh becomes an easy place for listeria to grow, and the CDC warns that cut melon left at room temperature for more than two hours can become unsafe. Listeria can multiply even in the refrigerator and grows faster when produce sits out warm, and infection during pregnancy can lead to serious complications for your baby. The risk comes from time and temperature on the cut surface, not from melon itself.

How to enjoy it safely

Eat cut melon fresh, or refrigerate it promptly and keep it cold until you eat it, discarding any that has sat out for more than two hours, or one hour in hot weather. Buying whole melon and cutting it yourself after washing the rind gives you the most control.

When to ask your provider

Ask your Garden OB/GYN provider if you develop fever or flu like symptoms after eating cut fruit that may have been left out.