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Shellfish Allergy: Get The Facts

 Do you enjoy eating seafood?  Many people love to eat seafood, but some have an allergy to shellfish.  A shellfish allergy is serious and should not be taken lightly.  Even the slightest amount of shellfish or shellfish oils can prompt a shellfish allergic reaction.

What types of shellfish may cause an allergic reaction?  Shellfish include: 
abalone, clams, crab, crawfish, crayfish, lobster, oysters, scallops, shrimp, cockle, sea urchin, and mussels.  Any or all of these shellfish can cause a shellfish allergy.  This shellfish allergy is widespread among adults.

How can you tell if you have a shellfish allergy?  Common symptoms of a shellfish allergy include wheezing, constricting of throat, and swelling of the face and air passages.  This can lead to anaphylactic shock.  When this occurs you need to use an epinephrine shot to stop the attack.  The number one way to avoid another allergy attack is to avoid shellfish altogether.  This is most easily achieved at home when you control exactly what you eat and how you cook it.  However, you need to be more careful when dinning out.  Verify that there are no shellfish ingredients or that the meal is being cooked in shellfish oils.

Which shellfish causes the most allergic reactions?  Shrimp is the number one culprit when it comes to shellfish allergies.  Be careful when eating fried foods as well because the oil may have shellfish parts in it.  Also be weary of eating food that has been prepared in the same dish or touches the shellfish on a plate.

It is better to be safe then sorry, so look for even the slightest shellfish contamination.  Avoid using the same cutting board for shellfish and other foods.  Shellfish oils can seep into the cutting board and cross contaminate any other foods that are prepared on that cutting board.

An interesting thing to note about a shellfish allergy is that some people have a slight allergy while other allergies can be deadly.  For example, one individual may have a minor skin rash when consuming shellfish, while another can become disoriented and go into anaphylactic shock.  An allergic reaction to shellfish can be avoided if the proper precautions are taken.

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