May

20

Foods

Filed Under Food Allergy 

If you have a fish or shellfish allergy, you definitely need to avoid the foods that contain these items. A shellfish allergy is not to be trifled with.  An allergic reaction can be severe such as hives, disorientation, breathing difficulties and shock.

Some of the foods you should avoid include any kind of fish, caviar, Roe (which are fish eggs), imitation seafood such as sushi, Caesar salad, Worcestershire sauce, and any kind of seafood dish.  In fact, consider avoiding seafood restaurants altogether for fear of cross-contamination during the preparation and cooking process. Utensils such as a spatula, cooking oil or the heating surfaces may have been used to cook fish or shellfish earlier on, leaving traces on the food that you ordered.

Most individuals have a cross-reactivity to both fish and shellfish; in other words if they are allergic to one; they are allergic to the other.

Funnily, some sufferers of shellfish allergy do not display reactions after eating mollusks, which are clams, scallops, oysters and mussels.

Separate allergy testing is done for shellfish using the shellfish mix skin prick test and fish using the fish mix skin prick test. The fish mix skin prick test tests for cod, tuna, mackerel and salmon while the shellfish mix skin prick test tests for a combination of shellfish.

Sometimes an imitation is used for crab or shrimp that does not contain shellfish but may contain fish. Such an imitation is Surimi, which is a processed Alaskan pollack.  It is best avoided. Surimi usually is made from white fish, but can contain shellfish extract. Surimi may be in certain processed foods such as some pizza toppings.

Common shellfish and fish dishes to refrain from consuming include paella, bouillabaisse, gumbo, frito misto, fruits de mer, and oriental foods.  Their recipes usually contain chopped pieces of fish that can be difficult to identify mixed in with other foods.  Caesar salad dressings usually contain anchovies. Also be careful of other types of dressings and readily prepared bottled sauces.

It is also best to avoid food products that include iodine. You can find iodine in seaweed, cleaning products, and also X-ray dyes.

Your healthcare provider or allergist should be able to provide you with a list of all foods to avoid. Ask to receive any updated lists as there are always new products being created or new processed ingredient names that you should be told about so that you can avoid those that contain fish or shellfish.

Be aware of spices, and flavorings when preparing foods as some can contain fish or fish parts or shellfish.

Fortunately, the Food Allergy Labeling Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA), which was passed in 2004, requires all labels to be capable of being read by a seven year old.  This makes it very easy for sufferers to determine if food contains fish, shellfish or other food allergens, making it easier for self protection.

Oct

23

Food

Filed Under Food Allergy 

A is very common.  Crustaceans such as lobsters, crabs, prawns, shrimp, squid, cuttlefish, clams, and oysters are the culprits. Many develop eczema skin symptoms with adverse allergic reactions including face swelling and hives after eating seafood. Hence, an allergy to shellfish can be extremely severe.

Reactions can appear almost immediately within one hour and some take two to three days to show symptoms. The compounds, parvalbumins and tropomyosin, found in them triggers reactions.

It is found that sufferers of a often react to other types of shellfish as well. Hence, if you know that you have a reaction to say shrimps, it is best to also avoid the rest like cuttlefish, clams and squids.  I know it is hard to have to give up on so many well loved seafood items all at once.  But the alternative would have been suffering from allergy attacks, that can be difficult to control.

I get eczema skin symptoms after eating shellfish.  Sadly, I have to give up eating my favorite foods such as mee siam, laksa, chilli crab and tom yam soup after finding out more about my shellfish allergy.  A picture of a lady posted in a Chinese clinic with rotting legs due to her refusal to give up on eating laska despite a shellfish allergy convinced me that an elimination diet of all seafood is best for me.

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