Allergenic Foods and their Allergens, with links to Informall

Molluscan Shellfish

Mollusks.
Mollusks

The molluscan shellfish relevant in human diet are gastropods (including abalones, limpets, land and marine snails, whelks), bivalves (including oysters, mussels, scallops) and cephalopods (including squids, octopuses). Increasingly, molluscan shellfish are recognized as important food allergens and have recently been added to the EU list for mandatory labeling of allergens. The prevalence of molluscan shellfish allergy is largely unknown but may parallel consumption patterns, with higher frequency in areas of frequent consumption.

The major allergen of molluscan shellfish is tropomyosin and thus individuals developing allergic reactions to one mollusc species also often react to other species as well. Due to the similarity between invertebrate tropomyosin allergens molluscan shellfish allergic individuals may also react to crustacean shellfish and non-dietary invertebrates (e.g. house dust mite, cockroach).

Molluscan shellfish allergy triggers symptoms ranging from mild local reactions in the oral cavity (oral allergy syndrome) to severe life threatening systemic reactions. Gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms were occasionally also reported. Shellfish allergens retain their allergenic potential even after heating.

For more detailed information on these foods please follow the links:

Open shell abalone.
Abalone, Perlemoen

Abalone, Perlemoen

Horned Turban.
Horned Turban

Horned Turban

Limpet.
Limpet

Limpet

Live sea snail.
Marine Snail

Marine Snail

Cooked blue mussel.
Mussel (Blue Mussel)

Mussel (Blue Mussel)

Open shell green mussel.
Mussel (Green Mussel)

Mussel (Tropical Green Mussel)

Octopus tentacles.
Octopus

Octopus

Oysters.
Oyster

Oyster

Scallop shell.
Scallop

Scallop

Snail.
Snail

Snail

Three squid.
Squid

Squid

Whelk.
Whelk

Whelk



Updated 10 March, 2014