Shellfish in EU allergen law: crustaceans and molluscs are two separate allergens

Published 2026-10-05 · PlateNote

In everyday English “shellfish” covers both prawns and mussels. EU allergen law does not use that word. Annex II of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 lists two separate items:

Item 2 — crustaceans and products thereof (for example prawns, shrimp, crab, lobster, langoustine).
Item 14 — molluscs and products thereof (for example mussels, oysters, clams, squid, octopus, snails).

The examples in brackets are ours; the law lists only the two categories.

Why it matters

If you react to one group and a kitchen checks only the other, you can get a wrong “no”. Name the group you must avoid — or both — using the legal words. Fish (item 4) is a third, separate item.

The official words

Crustaceans: schaaldieren (NL), Krebstiere (DE), crustacés (FR), crustáceos (ES, PT), crostacei (IT). Molluscs: weekdieren (NL), Weichtiere (DE), mollusques (FR), moluscos (ES, PT), molluschi (IT). All from the official language versions — see the 14-allergen table.

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A card is a communication aid; it does not guarantee that food is safe.

Sources

Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 — consolidated text of 1 January 2018 (EUR-Lex, English). Annex II, point 10 (mustard) was amended later by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/2512, applying from 1 April 2025.