Fish and Shellfish

About the Allergy
Foods to Avoid
More Information and Links

About the Allergy

What are shellfish allergies?
All food allergies are caused by an immune system malfunction. Your immune system identifies certain shellfish proteins as harmful, triggering the production of antibodies to neutralize the shellfish protein (allergen). As a result, people develop an allergic reaction to the food. Shellfish allergies can develop later in life, meaning, as a child a person may have been able to tolerate shellfish; however, as an adult her/she cannot. More often then not, this allergy is not "outgrown", meaning once you develop the allergy, you will always have it.

What are some symptoms?
A persons' reaction to shellfish can be mild or severe depending on the degree to which they are allergic to shellfish. There are a range of symptoms including: skin rash, itching, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, dizziness, wheezing, and anaphylactic shock (constriction of the airways). While some of these symptoms are not life-threatening, others, such as anaphylactic shock are. For this reason, a shellfish allergy should be closely monitored.

Foods to Avoid

What are some foods I should avoid?
There are a number of foods that should be avoided if a person has a shellfish allergy. Apart from shellfish himself or herself, one should avoid any foods that may have been cooked in the same pot or frying pan. Also, foods that come in close contact with shellfish should be avoided, for example, if a cook were to use the same spoon to mix a sauce with shellfish and another sauce, or even if shellfish were to touch another food on the plate. It is crucial to be aware of cross contamination because shellfish protein can easily become airborne, spreading to various seemingly "ok" foods. It is also important to read the labels of any multivitamins or calcium supplements, because shellfish are often used in them. Below is a list of foods that should be avoided (this is not a complete list). As with any other allergy, make it a point to read labels and ask questions about food preparation/ingredients while dining out. When in doubt, avoid the food altogether.

Foods to avoid:

• clams
• squid
• mussels
• snails
• shrimp
• scallops
• oysters
• mollusks
• abalone
• crawfish
• cockle
• lobster
• conch
• crab

More Information and Links

For more information check out this website: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/shellfish_allergies/hic_Shellfish_Allergies.aspx

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