• You are here:
• Home
•  »  About Food Allergies
•  »  Shellfish Allergy

Print Page

Tell a Friend

Shellfish Allergy

Shellfish allergy usually develops in young adults.  In fact, it is the most common significant food allergy reported by adults and is considered life-long.  Along with peanuts and tree nuts, shellfish are the most frequent triggers of anaphylactic reactions.    

There are two kinds of shellfish: crustacea (such as shrimp, crab, and lobster) and mollusks (such as clams, mussels, oysters, and scallops).  Reactions to crustacean shellfish tend to be particularly severe.  If you are allergic to one group of shellfish, you might be able to eat some varieties from the other group.  Since most people who are allergic to one kind of shellfish usually are allergic to other types, however, allergists usually advise their patients to avoid all varieties.  If you have been diagnosed with a shellfish allergy, never eat any kind of shellfish without consulting your doctor first.

When eating out, people with shellfish allergies should be particularly alert to cross-contamination.  Always check with the chef to make sure that shellfish are not cooked on the same skillet or in the same oil as other food.  You also should make sure that your dishes are not prepared with the same utensils or on the same work surfaces as shellfish.    

How to Avoid Shellfish*
The federal Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) requires that any packaged food product that contains shellfish as an ingredient must list the name of the specific shellfish on the label.  Please be sure to read all product labels carefully before purchasing and consuming any item. Remember, also, that ingredients change from time to time, so check labels every time you shop.  If you are still not sure whether or not a product contains shellfish, call the manufacturer. Always take extra precaution when dining in restaurants or eating foods prepared by others.  If you are ever in doubt about any product or dish, don’t eat it.

Crustaceans
Shrimp (prawns, crevette)
Crab
Crawfish (crayfish, ecrevisse)
Lobster (langouste, langoustine, scampo, coral, tomalley)

Mollusks
Abalone
Clam
Cockle
Mussel
Oyster
Octopus
Scallop
Snail (escargot)
Squid (calamari)

The following ingredients may indicate the presence of a shellfish protein:
Bouillabaisse
Fish stock
Flavoring
Seafood flavoring
Surimi

• Some sensitive individuals may react to aerosolized shellfish protein through cooking vapors. It is wise to stay away from steam tables or stovetops when shellfish are being cooked.
• Seafood restaurants are considered high-risk due to the possibility of cross-contamination, even if a non-shellfish item is ordered.
• Carrageen is a marine algae, not a fish, and is considered safe for those avoiding fish and shellfish.

* FAI wishes to thank the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai School of Medicine (New York, NY) for providing  the allergen avoidance information in this article.