Shellfish

Once a shellfish allergy is identified, the best treatment isobviously to avoid such food. You need to carefully check ingredient labels of food products. You should learn other names for the foods you need to avoid to be sure not to eat them.

You must be extra-careful when you eat out. Waiters (and sometimes the kitchen staff) may not always know every dish ingredient on the restaurant’s menu. Vapors may carry extremely small particles of shellfish protein, so even just walking into a kitchen or other area where food is being prepared can cause a dangerous reaction in sensitive individuals.

Fortunately, shellfish is an ingredient that is rarely “hidden” in foods. Shellfish may be found in fish stock, seafood flavoring (for example, crab extract), sushi and surimi. In the U.S., if a packaged food contains shellfish, labeling regulations require the specific shellfish be listed. (Note: Those regulations apply only to crustacean shellfish, such as shrimp, lobster and crab, and not to mollusks, such as oysters, scallops and clams.)

Patients with any food allergy must make some changes in the foods they eat. Your allergist can direct you to helpful resources, such as special cookbooks, patient support groups and registered dietitians, who can help you plan your meals.