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    Food Allergy Quick Guide

    Shellfish
    Image of shellfish on a plate

    If a child in your classroom has a life threatening allergy to shellfish (including mollusks and crustaceans), you should avoid these ingredients in the classroom:

    • Abalone
    • Barnacle
    • Clams (Cherrystone, Geoduck, Littleneck, Pismo, Quahog)
    • Cockle
    • Crab
    • Crawfish (Crawdad, Crayfish, Ecrevisse)
    • Cuttlefish
    • Krill
    • Limpet (Lapas, Opihi)
    • Lobster (Langouste, Langoustine, Moreton Bay Bugs, Scampi, Tomalley)
    • Mussels
    • Octopus
    • Oysters
    • Periwinkle
    • Prawns
    • Scallops
    • Sea cucumber
    • Sea urchin
    • Shrimp (Crevette, Scampi)
    • Snails (Escargot)
    • Squid (Calamari)
    • Whelk (Turban Shell)

    The following ingredients may indicate the presence of a shellfish protein:

    • Bouillabaisse
    • Cuttlefish ink
    • Fish stock
    • Flavoring
    • Glucosamine
    • Seafood flavoring
    • Surimi


    Some sensitive individuals may react to aerosolized shellfish protein through cooking vapors. It is wise to stay away from steam tables or stovetops when shellfish are being cooked.

    Seafood restaurants are considered high-risk due to the possibility of cross-contamination, even if a non-shellfish item is ordered.

    Carrageen is a marine algae, not a fish, and is considered safe for those avoiding fish and shellfish.

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