Seafood Safety & Fish Allergy Awareness

Safe to eat, but stay informed

Seafood in Singapore is generally safe to enjoy, thanks to strong food safety standards by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and high compliance across the seafood supply chain.

Like all fresh foods, seafood requires proper handling and informed choices when purchasing, preparing, and consuming.

Food allergy is a slightly different story.

Disclaimer: This content is for educational and research purposes only. All medical advice and diagnosis should be provided by qualified healthcare professionals. If you suspect your child has a fish allergy, please consult a paediatrician or allergist before making changes to their diet.

For some, even small amounts of certain foods can trigger an adverse reaction.

Seafood, which encompasses both fish and shellfish, is the leading trigger of allergic reactions to food in Singapore. However, fish and shellfish are biologically very different and an allergy to one does not usually mean an allergy to the other.

Not all fish are the same

Did you know? Being allergic to one type of fish doesn’t usually mean you’ll react to all fish.

Every fish species contains distinct allergenic proteins, which can trigger different reactions from person to person if sensitised.

Fish allergy is complex. It varies across species and how the fish is prepared (e.g. fresh, cooked or canned). Researchers are still working to better understand these differences.

Local fish matter

Currently available allergy tests are based on fish from other regions, which are not the ones we typically eat here.

That’s why local research is so important, to make things clearer and safer for everyone.

We are promoting personalised
species-specific fish allergy diagnosis and management in collaboration with

For more information, please reach out to Dr Thimo Ruethers using the contact information at this link