Eating out

In restaurants, inform staff if you have a shellfish or fish allergy. Find out what your food is fried in and whether the oil has been used for anything else. Check the ingredients of all stocks and soups. Ideally your companions should avoid eating fish/shellfish in your presence, as there is a small risk that breathing in the cooked food may cause a reaction. People have also been known to go into anaphylactic shock after breathing in airborne particles of shellfish in open fish markets.

Fish and shellfish can be present in food in other forms

Dishes to look out for include paella, bouillabaisse, gumbo and fruits de mer (seafood). Oriental food tends to contain lots of different kinds of fish at once, and chopped pieces can be difficult to spot.

Anchovies may be found in caesar salad dressing, caponata, a traditional sweet and sour Sicilian relish, and Worcestershire sauce.

Other dishes to watch out for include kedgeree (smoked fish), jambalaya (fish and shrimps), surimi, crabsticks (contain processed fish that are sold separately or in fish salads and fish cocktails), caviar, fish roe, fish paste, fish sauce, fish stocks, fish soup/chowder, cheese based dips and spreads with fish or shellfish e.g. salmon dip. Fish sauce may be added in dressings and sauces, especially to Asian dishes.

Fish oils are used as a diet supplement as a single oil capsule, or as part of a combination oil mix. If you want to take these supplements, discuss this with your allergy specialist.

Fish, crustacea and molluscs in foods are required to be labelled in New Zealand. If in doubt, check carefully with manufacturers, caterers or restaurant staff.