Seafood Allergies & Allergens

Seafood Allergies & Allergens

What consumers need to know

Seafood is an important part of a healthy diet, but for people with seafood allergy, eating the wrong food can cause a serious — and potentially life-threatening — reaction.

Australia has strengthened its food allergen labelling requirements through Plain English Allergen Labelling (PEAL).

For seafood consumers, one of the most important changes is that the law now clearly distinguishes between three different seafood allergen groups:

Understanding that distinction — and knowing what information food businesses must provide — can help consumers make safer choices.

Fish, crustaceans and molluscs are not the same allergen

The word "seafood" covers many different animals, but from an allergy perspective they should not all be treated as one group.

A person allergic to one fish may react to other fish species, although individual allergies differ and appropriate medical advice is important.

A person can be allergic to fish but tolerate crustaceans or molluscs — or the reverse.

Consumers with diagnosed allergies should follow the advice provided by their medical or allergy specialist.

Australia's new allergen labelling rules

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) introduced new Plain English Allergen Labelling requirements to make allergen information easier for consumers to identify and understand.

• The new requirements came into effect on 25 February 2024.
• Food packaged and labelled under the previous requirements before that date was permitted to continue being sold until 25 February 2026.
• That transition period has now ended.

Under the current requirements, prescribed allergens must be declared using required plain-English names. For seafood these include: fish, crustacean, and mollusc.

This distinction is important. Historically, terminology surrounding seafood allergens could be confusing. The clearer separation helps consumers identify the particular allergen group present rather than treating everything from salmon to prawns and oysters simply as "fish" or "seafood".

What should I see on a packaged food?

Where a packaged food contains a prescribed allergen, the allergen must generally be identified in the ingredient statement using the required name and bold type.

There must also be a separate allergen summary statement beginning "Contains". For example:

Or, where several allergens are present:

The summary statement must be in bold and positioned in the same field of view as, and directly next to, the ingredient statement. This is intended to make important allergen information easier to locate quickly.

Seafood ingredients can appear where you may not expect them

Consumers with allergies need to consider more than obvious seafood products. Fish, crustacean or mollusc ingredients may potentially occur in sauces, stocks, flavourings, pastes, soups, prepared meals and other composite foods.

Seafood restaurants can present additional cross-contact challenges because different species and allergen groups may be:

• stored together;
• prepared on common surfaces;
• handled with the same utensils;
• cooked in shared equipment or oil; or
• served with sauces containing other allergens.

For someone with a serious food allergy, never assume. Ask.

What about restaurants, cafes and takeaways?

Allergen responsibilities do not disappear because food does not have a packaged-food label.

For food that is not required to carry a label — such as meals provided by restaurants, cafes and takeaways — the required allergen information must be displayed in connection with the food or provided to the purchaser on request.

FSANZ says that when a consumer discloses a food allergy, food-service businesses have a responsibility to help the customer make appropriate menu choices by providing information about allergens that may be directly or indirectly present.

Food businesses should have effective allergen-management procedures, appropriately trained staff and accurate, up-to-date information about the foods they serve.

If you have a seafood allergy

Tell staff clearly about your specific allergy. Don't simply ask:

"Does this contain seafood?"

Be specific:

"I have an allergy to crustaceans. Does this contain prawns, shrimp, crab, lobster or another crustacean, and is there a risk of cross-contact?"

The distinction can matter.

Cross-contact matters

A food may not intentionally contain your allergen but can potentially become contaminated during storage, preparation or processing. For example, fish and prawns may be handled on the same cutting board or cooking equipment.

FSANZ advises manufacturers and retailers to manage the unintentional presence of allergens and maintain effective allergen-management plans.

Consumers may also encounter precautionary statements such as "May be present". These precautionary allergen statements are different from mandatory allergen declarations. Precautionary allergen labelling is voluntary and is not regulated in Australia and New Zealand in the same way as mandatory ingredient allergen declarations.

Consumers with allergies should follow the advice of their treating health professional about managing these risks.

What about sulphites?

Sulphites deserve particular attention in seafood. They are not classified as food allergens in the same way as fish, crustaceans and molluscs, but they can cause adverse reactions in susceptible people, particularly some people with asthma.

Under the Food Standards Code, added sulphites must be declared when present at concentrations of 10 mg/kg or more.

Consumers may therefore encounter seafood products where both the seafood allergen and sulphites need to be considered. This can be particularly relevant to some processed or treated seafood products.

Correct seafood identity is also important

SCA believes allergen management provides another compelling reason for accurate seafood identification and traceability.

A consumer should be able to know:

• What species am I buying?
• What ingredients have been added?
• Which allergen group does it contain?
• Has it been substituted or incorrectly described?
• Can the business trace where it came from?

Misidentification and substitution are often discussed as consumer-protection and economic-fraud issues. But seafood identity can also matter to health.

This is another reason SCA advocates consistent fish naming, accurate labelling and strong seafood traceability systems. You cannot make an informed food choice without reliable information about the food in front of you.

What should seafood businesses do?

SCA encourages seafood retailers, restaurants, takeaways, processors and other businesses to treat allergen management as a fundamental element of professional practice. Businesses should:

• understand the current FSANZ allergen requirements;
• know which products contain fish, crustaceans and molluscs;
• identify other allergens contained in marinades, batters, sauces and prepared products;
• maintain accurate ingredient and supplier information;
• train staff regularly;
• minimise cross-contact risks;
• ensure menu and product information is accurate;
• have a clear procedure for answering allergy enquiries;
• never guess when answering an allergen question; and
• ensure information can be quickly checked when a consumer asks.

"I think it's OK" is not an acceptable allergen-management system.

What should consumers do?

If you have a diagnosed food allergy:

• Tell the food business clearly. Explain the particular allergen you need to avoid.
• Read the label every time. Ingredients and manufacturing arrangements can change even when packaging looks familiar.
• Ask questions when eating out. Do not rely solely upon menu descriptions.
• Be aware of cross-contact. Particularly where different seafood groups are prepared together.
• Follow your medical management plan. People at risk of anaphylaxis should follow their ASCIA Action Plan and medical advice.

If you suspect an allergic reaction

Food allergies can cause serious reactions, including anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency. People diagnosed as being at risk should follow their prescribed ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis and use adrenaline (epinephrine) as directed.

Reporting an allergen problem

If you believe a food has been incorrectly labelled, contains an undeclared allergen or a food business has provided incorrect allergen information, the matter can be reported to the appropriate state or territory food enforcement authority.

FSANZ sets Australia's food standards, while compliance and enforcement are generally undertaken by state and territory authorities. Food recalls involving undeclared allergens are also published through FSANZ.

Useful resources

• Food Standards Australia New Zealand — Food Allergen Portal

  Information about food allergies, allergen labelling, food recalls and the Food Allergen Portal.

• FSANZ — Consumer Allergen Labelling Guidance

  Consumer guidance on understanding allergen labelling on food products.

• Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia — Fish Allergy Guidance

  Consumer information about fish allergy, avoiding allergens and managing risk.

• Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA)

  Clinical information and Action Plans for allergy and anaphylaxis.

The SCA message

Seafood allergies demonstrate why consumer information is not an optional extra. For someone with a serious allergy, knowing precisely what is in a food can be a matter of health and safety.

Australia's new Plain English Allergen Labelling requirements are an important improvement. But legislation works only when information remains accurate throughout the supply chain — from supplier documentation and product labels to the person standing behind a seafood counter or taking an order in a restaurant.

Know the seafood. Know what's in it. Tell the consumer.

Clear information builds safer choices — and consumer trust.

Seafood Consumers Association Ltd