Not necessarily! Having a shellfish allergy doesn't automatically mean being allergic to all types of shellfish, including mollusks.
Shellfish fall into two main groups:
- Crustaceans – shrimp, lobster, prawns, and crabs
- Mollusks – snails, oysters, scallops, mussels, squid, octopus, and clams
It's actually more common Show Full Answer
Not necessarily! Having a shellfish allergy doesn't automatically mean being allergic to all types of shellfish, including mollusks.
Shellfish fall into two main groups:
- Crustaceans – shrimp, lobster, prawns, and crabs
- Mollusks – snails, oysters, scallops, mussels, squid, octopus, and clams
It's actually more common to be allergic to crustaceans than mollusks. Some people allergic to crustaceans can eat mollusks without a reaction, and vice versa. That said, if there's been any allergic reaction to one type of shellfish, it's really important not to test other shellfish on your own. Any reintroduction should only be done under medical supervision, where emergency treatment is available if needed.
As one MyFoodAllergyTeam member shared, "I can eat fish, but if I eat crab, my entire face swells up" — a good reminder that reactions can be very specific to certain foods.
July 16