Shellfish allergy, understood in Spanish.
Build a travel card for your shellfish allergy and show restaurant staff exactly what you can and can't eat in fluent Spanish. The Spanish foods that commonly hide it are spelled out, and it works offline the moment you land in Spain.
Shellfish allergy in Spanish
I cannot eat crustacean shellfish (shrimp, crab, lobster, prawn).
No puedo comer marisco crustáceo (camarón, cangrejo, langosta, langostino).
Commonly missed sources
Shrimp paste: Hidden in curry pastes and Southeast Asian dishes.
Pasta de camarones: Oculta en pastas de curry y platos del sudeste asiático.
Surimi: Imitation crab in sushi and salads.
Surimi: Cangrejo de imitación en sushi y ensaladas.
Shellfish stock: Bisque, paella, and seafood broths.
Caldo de marisco: Bisque, paella y caldos de marisco.
What to watch for with Shellfish allergy in Spanish food
In Spain, dial 112 for an ambulance.
SafePlate Travel shows it automatically wherever you are, alongside your medications and reactions, translated for a first responder.
Paella and rice dishes cooked in shellfish stock · paella de marisco / arroz a banda / arroz caldoso / fideuà
Even nominally shellfish-free paella and rice dishes are routinely cooked in caldo de marisco (shellfish stock), saturating every grain with shellfish protein. Many restaurants proactively turn away shellfish-allergic diners rather than guarantee safety, and fideuà uses the same stocks in noodle form.
Highest-impact Spain-specific risk. The shared shellfish stock is most common in restaurants that primarily serve seafood paella; dedicated chicken paella kitchens may use chicken stock. Verify per establishment. Fideuà also adds gluten via noodles.
Shared deep fryer in tapas bars · freidora compartida
A single commercial fryer is used continuously for calamares, gambas, croquetas, patatas bravas, boquerones, and churros throughout service. Any item fried after shellfish or breaded fish carries shellfish protein, fish protein, and gluten in the cooking oil.
A shared fryer is standard in Spanish tapas bars and is the primary cross-contamination vector for shellfish, fish, and gluten when ordering otherwise-safe fried items. Legal Nomads flags confirming fryer status as critical for celiacs, and Food Allergy Getaways warns that fried tapas carry seafood cross-contact. Ask whether there is a dedicated fryer.
Ensaladilla rusa (Russian potato salad) · ensaladilla rusa
Spain's ubiquitous cold potato salad tapa contains egg-based mayonnaise, hard-boiled egg, tuna, and often prawns as structural ingredients, not optional garnishes. Tuna and anchovy are not classified as 'carne' in Spanish culinary tradition, so a 'sin carne' claim does not exclude them.
Prawns are common but not universal (some versions contain only tuna). The anchovy-stuffed olive garnish is variable. Because the dish is built on mayonnaise and tinned fish, it is neither vegetarian-safe by default nor free of fish/shellfish.
Other restrictions in Spanish
Shellfish allergy in other languages
Why SafePlate Travel
Any allergy or diet, on one card
Build a card with your exact restrictions, shown in fluent Spanish.
A card for everyone you travel with
Child, parent, partner, or friend, all in one account.
Works offline the moment you land
Saved to your phone when you make it. No signal needed in any restaurant.
Spain's emergency number, translated
Your meds and reactions, plus the local ambulance number, ready for a first responder.
One card, or a stack of workarounds
A SafePlate Travel card carries your shellfish allergy in fluent Spanish, with the commonly missed Spanish sources spelled out. Here is how that compares to the alternatives.
| Physical card | Google Translate | SafePlate Travel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works in 60+ languages | No, One languageOne language | Yes | Yes, 60+60+ |
| Lists commonly missed sources | Partial, Pre-made onesPre-made ones | No | Yes |
| All your restrictions on one card | No, Separate cardsSeparate cards | No, Retype each mealRetype each meal | Yes |
| Personalized to your exact needs | No | No | Yes |
| Translation validation | Human review | Machine output | AI + extra checks |
| Works offline | Yes | Partial, With downloadWith download | Yes |
| No phone or battery needed | Yes | No | No |
| A card for everyone you travel with | No | Not applicable | Yes |
| Cost | Pay per card | Free | One subscription |
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell a restaurant about my shellfish allergy in Spanish?
What Spanish foods should I watch out for with shellfish allergy?
Does it work offline in Spain?
Can I make a card for my family?
What does it cost?
Set up your Shellfish allergy card for Spain
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