Mollusc allergy when eating abroad

Molluscs in 14 languages

The word to look for on menus, allergen charts and labels.

Language	Word	Romanisation
Japanese	貝類 / いか / たこ / あわび	kairui / ika / tako / awabi
Chinese	贝类 / 鱿鱼 / 章鱼 / 蚝（牡蛎）	bèilèi / yóuyú / zhāngyú / háo (mǔlì)
Korean	조개류 / 오징어 / 굴 / 전복 / 홍합	jogaeryu / ojingeo / gul / jeonbok / honghap
Thai	หอย / ปลาหมึก / หอยนางรม	hoi / pla muek / hoi nang rom
Vietnamese	nhuyễn thể (mực, bạch tuộc, sò, nghêu, hàu, ốc)
Hindi	सीप / घोंघा / मोलस्क	seep / ghongha / molask
Arabic	رخويات / محار / حبار / أخطبوط	rakhwiyyāt / maḥār / ḥabbār / ukhṭubūṭ
Turkish	yumuşakçalar (midye, istiridye, kalamar, ahtapot)
Greek	μαλάκια / καλαμάρι / χταπόδι / μύδια	malákia / kalamári / chtapódi / mýdia
Italian	molluschi (cozze, vongole, calamari, polpo, ostriche)
French	mollusques (moules, huîtres, calmars, poulpe, escargots)
Spanish	moluscos (mejillones, almejas, calamares, pulpo, ostras)
Portuguese	moluscos (mexilhões, amêijoas, lulas, polvo, ostras)
German	Weichtiere (Muscheln, Tintenfisch, Austern, Schnecken)

What counts as molluscs

Molluscs are soft-bodied sea and land animals, most with a shell: squid, octopus and cuttlefish (cephalopods), mussels, clams, oysters, scallops and cockles (bivalves), and snails, whelks, periwinkles, limpets and abalone (gastropods). Calamari is squid. Escargots are land snails.

They are a separate allergen from crustaceans (prawns, crab, lobster), which have their own page: crustaceans. Allergy UK notes that if you react to one mollusc you're likely to react to others in the group, and you may or may not react to crustaceans as well. The English word "shellfish" covers both groups, and so do seafood, frutti di mare, fruits de mer and mariscos.

Molluscs often appear as a seasoning or a texture rather than a visible piece. Look out for:

• Oyster sauce: háoyóu (蚝油) in Chinese cooking, nam man hoi (น้ำมันหอย) in Thai, dầu hào in Vietnamese.
• XO sauce: made with dried scallop (conpoy) as well as dried shrimp.
• Squid and cuttlefish ink: nero di seppia in Italian black pasta and risotto, arroz negro in Spain.
• Clam and scallop stocks: in Japanese and Korean broths, Italian sauces and seafood rice.
• Dried squid and abalone: Asian snacks and banquet dishes.
• Fish sauce and seafood extracts: sometimes made from mixed catch.
• Non-food: some supplements and cosmetics use shell extracts.

Where molluscs hide on menus

Squid and octopus are everywhere along the Mediterranean, and oyster sauce is the big hidden source across East and Southeast Asia.

Cross-contact follows the same patterns as other seafood. Fried calamari usually shares oil with other fried food, so chips and vegetable fritters can carry mollusc protein. Health Canada lists fried foods, dips and spreads, and paella and marinara sauces among the places molluscs turn up. Seafood stocks are reused across dishes. At fish markets and on seafood platters, oysters, mussels and prawns sit together on the same ice.

Labelling rules around the world

This is the allergen where the rules disagree most, so a label you trust at home may say nothing abroad.

EU and UK. Molluscs are one of the 14 allergens in Annex II of Regulation 1169/2011, kept in UK law. Packaged food must emphasise them in the ingredients list, and restaurants, cafés and takeaways must provide allergen information for every non-prepacked dish that contains them. UK businesses can tell you verbally if a notice explains how to ask; some EU countries, such as Ireland, require it in writing.

United States. Molluscs are not a major food allergen. FALCPA lists "crustacean shellfish" only, so oysters, clams, mussels, scallops, squid, octopus and snails get no "Contains" statement on packaged food. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture warns that molluscs "may not be fully disclosed on product labeling". FALCPA doesn't cover restaurant meals either, so in the US you ask, every time.

Australia and New Zealand. Since the PEAL rules took effect on 25 February 2024, "mollusc" must be declared separately in bold, with a "Contains" summary. For unlabelled food, such as a restaurant or takeaway meal, the information must be displayed with the food or given when you ask.

Canada. Crustaceans and molluscs are a priority allergen, and the specific species must be declared on prepackaged food. Those rules cover prepackaged products, not restaurant plates.

Japan. No mollusc is mandatory. Squid (いか, all squid species) and abalone (あわび) are on the list of 20 recommended allergens that manufacturers are asked, but not required, to label. Octopus, oysters, clams, mussels, scallops and snails aren't on either list. A mixed-catch seafood extract or fish sauce can also be labelled simply 魚介類 (seafood). Restaurants are outside the labelling law, though the Consumer Affairs Agency asks them to give allergen information.

How to order with a mollusc allergy

Spell out the whole group, because "shellfish" means prawns to a lot of staff, and squid often isn't thought of as shellfish at all.

1. Name the animals. Squid, octopus, cuttlefish, mussels, clams, oysters, scallops, snails. Use the local words from the table above.
2. Name the sauces. Ask specifically about oyster sauce in Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese kitchens, and about clam or seafood stock in Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian ones.
3. Ask about the fryer. Calamari and fried seafood almost always share oil with chips and other fried dishes.
4. Say whether crustaceans matter for you. If you can eat prawns but not mussels (or the reverse), say so clearly; otherwise staff will assume "seafood allergy" and may guess wrong in either direction.
5. Don't rely on US or Japanese labels. Read the full ingredients list, and treat "seafood extract", "natural flavour" or 魚介エキス as a question.
6. Read "may contain" as voluntary. Its absence doesn't mean the factory or kitchen is free of molluscs.

If your doctor has prescribed adrenaline, carry it whenever you eat out (Allergy UK advises two devices) and follow your doctor's plan.

Words that trip people up

Mollusc vocabulary is full of false friends. In Spain, chipirones are small squid and sepia is cuttlefish. Italian seppie are cuttlefish, totani are flying squid, and moscardini are baby octopus. Portuguese berbigão are cockles. In French, palourdes and coques are clams and cockles, bulots are whelks and bigorneaux are periwinkles. Japanese menus use hotate (帆立) for scallop, asari (あさり) and hamaguri (蛤) for clams, kaki (牡蠣) for oyster and sazae (さざえ) for turban shell.

Dishes in our glossary that contain molluscs

• UsuallyArroz de mariscoClams and mussels, sometimes squid or cockles.
• UsuallyMoules marinièresMussels are molluscs, and the broth is full of their juices.
• UsuallyPulpo a la gallegaOctopus is a cephalopod, a kind of mollusc.
• UsuallyTakoyakiDiced octopus in every ball; some sauces also contain oyster extract.
• OftenOkonomiyakiSquid in seafood versions, oyster extract in some sauces, shared hotplate.
• OftenPad Kra PaoOyster sauce is in most versions.
• OftenPaellaMussels, clams and squid in seafood paella; snails in some Valencian ones.
• OftenSushiSquid, octopus, scallop, clams and abalone; shared boards and knives.
• OftenTempuraSquid and small scallops, common in mixed platters and kakiage fritters.
• SometimesAranciniSquid-ink and seafood fillings exist, and frying oil is often shared.
• SometimesBanh MiOyster sauce in many grilled pork (thịt nướng) marinades.
• SometimesBibimbapCockle (kkomak) and other seafood bibimbap.
• SometimesBouillabaisseMussels go into some versions, though purists leave them out.
• SometimesBulgogiSquid bulgogi (ojingeo bulgogi) uses the same name and often the same grill.
• SometimesBun ChaOyster sauce in some marinades.
• SometimesChar siuOyster sauce goes into many restaurant and home marinades.
• SometimesCroquetasSquid (chipirones) in ink croquetas, and shared frying oil.
• SometimesJapchaeSquid in seafood japchae.
• SometimesKimchi jjigaeOysters or squid in some kimchi; clams in seafood versions.
• SometimesMiso soupClam versions (asari or shijimi) are common set-meal soups.
• SometimesPad ThaiOyster sauce in some restaurant and bottled pad thai sauces.
• SometimesPatatas bravasFryers are often shared with calamares (squid).
• SometimesRamenClam or scallop broths at shellfish-focused shops.
• SometimesSamgyeopsalThe soybean paste stew often served alongside can contain clams.
• SometimesSom TamSome stalls offer versions with salted shellfish or seafood.
• SometimesTom YumSquid and mussels in the mixed seafood version.
• SometimesTonkatsuBreaded oysters (kaki furai), common in winter, often share the fryer.
• SometimesTteokbokkiSquid and other shellfish in seafood versions.

Questions

If I’m allergic to prawns, can I eat squid or mussels?

Not necessarily. Crustaceans and molluscs are different groups, and many people react to only one, but some react to both. Doctors sometimes advise people with a crustacean allergy to avoid molluscs too, so ask your allergist before you test it on holiday.

Does oyster sauce contain oysters?

Yes. Oyster sauce is made from oyster extract, and it is a standard seasoning in Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese stir-fries. Vegetarian ‘oyster’ sauce made from mushrooms exists, but you can’t tell which one a kitchen uses without asking.

Why don’t US labels warn about molluscs?

FALCPA, the US allergen labelling law, lists crustacean shellfish as a major allergen but not molluscan shellfish. Mollusc ingredients still appear in the ingredients list by name, but there is no ‘Contains’ statement, and flavourings may not spell them out.

Are snails and escargots molluscs?

Yes. Land snails (escargots), sea snails such as whelks, periwinkles and abalone, and limpets are all molluscs and fall under the EU, UK, Australian and Canadian allergen rules.

This guide is general information, not medical advice. Follow the allergy action plan your doctor gave you, and always confirm ingredients with the restaurant.

Sources

1. Food Safety Authority of Ireland: list of 14 allergens (EU Regulation 1169/2011, Annex II)
2. UK Food Standards Agency: allergen guidance for food businesses
3. Minnesota Department of Agriculture: food ingredients that may cause allergies
4. Food Standards Australia New Zealand: allergen labelling
5. Health Canada: crustaceans and molluscs, priority food allergens
6. Consumer Affairs Agency, Japan: food allergy labelling handbook (April 2026)
7. Allergy UK (incorporating Anaphylaxis UK): shellfish allergy

Last checked 1 November 2026. Spotted something wrong? Email support@inventum.com.au.