Ask the allergist is a daily characteristic in our newsletters the place Canadian allergists reply your questions! Please word: The allergists featured on this sequence reply questions on normal matters, please speak to your physician if in case you have questions on your individual well being or the well being of your youngster.
This month Dr. Julia Upton solutions questions on allergy to crustaceans (e.g., lobster, shrimp, crab).
Is it suitable for eating imitation crab should you’re allergic to crustaceans?
Imitation crab is usually constructed from a finned fish known as pollock. Nevertheless, some producers add actual crab and/or different shellfish (crustaceans and molluscs) for flavour, and it’s essential to learn the listing of components. General, the chance of allergic response is probably going fairly low however there’s some danger.
I’ve heard that you need to watch out with glucosamine dietary supplements should you’re allergic to crustaceans. Why is that?
These dietary supplements are sometimes constructed from the shells of varied crustaceans. Nevertheless, there’s anticipated to be little or no crustacean protein in them, and it’s the protein which triggers an allergic response. There have been small research that counsel individuals with crustacean allergy don’t react to glucosamine dietary supplements. Then again, there have been reviews of allergic reactions to glucosamine dietary supplements previously. General, the chance of a response is more likely to be extraordinarily low, however not zero.
For each of those questions, the most secure possibility is to keep away from, however this can be overly cautious. Whether or not you strive these kinds of meals or dietary supplements could also be influenced by your previous severity of response, whether or not you’ve got bronchial asthma, your private danger tolerance, and guaranteeing you’ve got emergency remedy (i.e., epinephrine) accessible if there was a big publicity to crustacean.
A dialogue along with your allergist for ideas in your private danger and reflection by yourself danger tolerance could assist information what residing confidently with meals allergy seems like for you.
Crustaceans and molluscs
Studying meals labels
Dr. Julia Upton is on workers on the Hospital for Sick Youngsters within the Immunology and Allergy Division; and an Affiliate Professor within the Division of Paediatrics on the College of Toronto. She is the previous Part Chair of the Anaphylaxis and Meals Allergy Part of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Scientific Immunology. Dr. Upton can be a member of our Healthcare Advisory Board.
Please word: Dr. Upton is answering as a person allergist and her solutions don’t represent an official place of her affiliated organizations. Her responses are for informational functions solely and don’t represent particular medical recommendation, suggestions, analysis, or remedy. Please speak to your physician about any considerations or questions you will have concerning your individual well being or the well being of your youngster.
Do you’ve got a meals allergy-related query you’d wish to ask an allergist within the months to come back? If that’s the case, ship it alongside to us at data@foodallergycanada.ca.
Tags: ask the allergist, crustacean allergy, mollusc allergy
