ABSTRACT
Shellfish allergy has been an increasing health concern over the last decade. Currently, over 2" of the world population is affected by food allergy to shellfish. Several shellfish allergens have been characterised, but the muscle protein tropomyosin is considered the major allergen. Shellfish is a general term used to identify commonly consumed invertebrate species belonging to phylum arthropoda and mollusca. Shellfish species can be broadly classified into crustaceans and molluscs. Increased incidences of reactivity to shellfish have been reported over the past decade, probably due to increased consumption of shellfish. The prevalence and distribution of shellfish allergy is dependent on geographical regions and changing dietary habits. Gastrointestinal uptake is the major route of sensitisation to seafood allergens including crustaceans and molluscs. Exposure and allergic symptoms can occur via multiple routes such as ingestion, inhalation and even contact in some cases. Tropomyosin is the major allergenic protein across all edible crustacean and mollusc species.
