Camembert Cheese

Dairy

Age Suggestion

12 months

Iron-Rich

Common Allergen

Yes

a wheel of camembert cheese with a wedge cut out of it

Warning

Raw milk cheeses, like traditional unpasteurized camembert, carry a high risk of foodborne illness. Even when pasteurized, mold-ripened cheeses are not without risk; they can become contaminated with Listeria if the cheese is not handled properly. Baking pasteurized camembert to an internal temperature of at least 165 F (74 C) reduces the risk of illness. There is no age at which it is considered completely safe to offer raw/unpasteurized cheeses to babies and children.

When can children have camembert cheese?

Wait until a child is at least 12 months of age before introducing pasteurized camembert cheese. Soft, mold-ripened cheeses like camembert carry an increased risk of foodborne illness, and babies are more at risk of severe symptoms. That said, baking pasteurized camembert to an internal temperature of at least 165 F (74 C) significantly reduces the risk of foodborne illness. When it comes to unpasteurized camembert cheese, there is no age at which eating it is considered safe; it is a personal decision for which you must calculate risk.

Camembert is named after the small village in Normandy where the cheese originated. It can be made with pasteurized milk, although only cheese made with raw milk from Normandie cows on Normandie farms receives appellation d'origine contrôlée, an official designation to guarantee authenticity. Camembert de Normandie (often shortened to Camembert with a capital C) is tough to find in the United States, where imported cheeses must be pasteurized and aged for at least 60 days. This is why pasteurized forms of camembert dominate American markets.

How do you serve camembert cheese to babies?

Every baby develops on their own timeline, and the suggestions on how to cut or prepare particular foods are generalizations for a broad audience.

6 to 11 months old:

Consider waiting until the child is older to offer camembert cheese due to the increased risk of foodborne illness. If you do want to share a taste, choose pasteurized camembert and bake it to an internal temperature of at least 165 F (74 C) to reduce the risk of illness. You can spread a thin layer of the cheese’s soft interior on age-appropriate food like a strip of well-toasted bread and let it cool before offering to baby.

12 months old +:

Before offering camembert cheese, consider a child’s risk factors (such as their health and medical conditions). When you are ready to introduce it, offer a thin slice for biting and tearing practice, or bite-sized pieces for the child to practice picking up. You can also spread a thin layer on age-appropriate foods like a soft cracker or slice of bread. To further reduce the risk of foodborne illness, try to choose pasteurized camembert cheese and bake it to an internal temperature of at least 165 F (74 C).

a hand holding a piece of toast with baked camembert spread on it — Baked camembert cheese spread on a piece of toast for toddlers 12 months +

a hand holding four bite-sized pieces of camembert — Bite-sized pieces of camembert cheese for toddlers 12 months +

Videos

Bennett, 13 months, eats baked camembert

Sebastián, 15 months, eats baked camembert spread on a thin rice cake

Cooper, 18 months, eats baked camembert spread on toast

Is camembert cheese a choking hazard for children?

Yes. While camembert cheese is not very firm, it can be sticky and tends to form a glob in the mouth, qualities that increase the risk of choking. To reduce the risk, prepare and serve camembert cheese in an age-appropriate way as described in the How to Serve section. As always, make sure you create a safe eating environment and stay within an arm’s reach of baby during meals.

Learn the signs of choking and gagging and more about choking first aid in our free guides, Infant Rescue and Toddler Rescue.

Is camembert cheese a common allergen?

Yes. Camembert cheese is typically made from cow’s milk, which is classified as a common allergen by the World Health Organization. It is an especially common food allergen in young children, accounting for about one-fifth of all childhood food allergies. Keep in mind that dairy products from other ruminants such as sheep, goat, and buffalo may provoke similar allergic reactions to cow’s milk dairy products. That said, there’s good news: milk allergy often disappears with time. Research shows that the majority of children with cow's milk allergy will outgrow it by age 6, and many babies with milder symptoms of milk protein allergy (which can show up as painless blood in stool) are able to successfully reintroduce cow's milk as early as their first birthday, with the guidance of their appropriate pediatric health professionals.

Milk is a known cause of food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome, also known as FPIES. FPIES is a delayed allergy to food protein which causes the sudden onset of repetitive vomiting and diarrhea to begin a few hours after ingestion. This is termed acute FPIES. Left untreated, the reaction can result in significant dehydration. When milk is in the diet regularly, FPIES can present as reflux, weight loss, and failure to thrive - this is termed chronic FPIES. Symptoms generally improve with elimination of milk from the baby’s diet. Thankfully, like other forms of milk allergy, FPIES that presents early in life is generally outgrown by the time the child has reached 3-5 years of age.

Lactose intolerance, which is when the body has a hard time processing lactose, the sugar that is naturally present in milk, can sometimes be mistaken for an allergy, as it can result in bloating, gas, diarrhea, nausea, and other discomfort. For those with older children who are lactose intolerant (keep in mind this is uncommon for infants and toddlers), some good news: compared with milk and certain other dairy products, many cheeses may be better tolerated by those with lactose intolerance. Be sure to connect with an appropriate pediatric health care professional for any questions about lactose intolerance, and know there are many lactose-free dairy foods available.

If you suspect a child may be allergic to milk, consult an allergist before introducing dairy products like camembert. Based on a child’s risk factors and history, an allergist may recommend allergy testing, or may instead advise dairy introduction under medical supervision in the office. If the risk is low, you may be advised to go ahead and introduce cheese in the home setting. As with all common allergens, start by serving a small quantity on its own for the first few servings, and if there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the quantity over future meals.

Is camembert cheese safe for children?

It can be, if the cheese is pasteurized and the child is older. Wait until at least 12 months of age before offering pasteurized camembert. To further reduce the risk of foodborne illness, consider baking pasteurized camembert to an internal temperature of at least 165 F (74 C). Unpasteurized camembert, on the other hand, carries a significantly increased risk of foodborne illness at any age.

When can babies have unpasteurized camembert cheese?

There is no age at which eating unpasteurized camembert is without risk, so whether or when to serve it is a personal decision for which you must make an informed decision in the context of your child. Unpasteurized or raw cheese poses a high risk of foodborne illness, especially salmonellosis and listeriosis, which are harmful bacterial infections for babies, children, and adults alike, with more risk of severe symptoms in babies.