Everyday Eating for People with Shellfish Allergy: How to Avoid Hidden Ingredients

Seafood ingredients that are easy to miss

• Oyster sauce, fish sauce, shrimp paste, satay sauce and some mixed seasonings
• Seafood-flavoured soup bases, hot pot bases, instant noodle seasoning packs and instant soup mixes
• Mixed products such as fish balls, crab sticks, shrimp dumplings and fish tofu
• Dried goods and side dishes such as dried small shrimp, dried scallops, dried shrimp and seaweed

Tips for handling food at home

When buying packaged food, check the ingredient list item by item, and pay attention to "may contain" allergen warnings; in home cooking, keep the chopping board, knives and containers used for handling seafood separate, and do not share them with your child's meals; when seasoning, do not use seafood-containing sauces as a substitute.

Eating out and ordering food

Tell the restaurant exactly what you need to avoid, and ask about the soup base, sauces and cooking oil. If you cannot confirm for the moment, choosing dishes with simple preparation and little seasoning is safer. When others at the table eat seafood, pay attention to serving chopsticks, serving spoons and separate portions to reduce cross-contact.

This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Please follow your doctor's advice for your specific situation.