Scallops

Yes. Scallops are firm, slippery, and sometimes small, qualities that increase the risk of choking. To reduce the risk, prepare and serve scallops in an age-appropriate way. As always, make sure you create a safe eating environment and stay within an arm’s reach of baby during meals. 

Learn the signs of choking and gagging and more about choking first aid in our free guides, Infant Rescue and Toddler Rescue.

No. Although part of the larger shellfish family, mollusks (like scallops) are not classified as a Global Priority Allergen by the World Health Organization, which only considers crustacean shellfish to be a priority allergen. However, a number of regulatory agencies around the world group the two types of shellfish together and label mollusks as common food allergens alongside crustaceans. Interestingly, shellfish allergies commonly develop in adulthood rather than in children. For those who develop the allergy in childhood, most will not outgrow it.

Individuals with a scallop allergy are more likely to experience reactions to other shellfish in the mollusk family (clam, mussels, octopus, oyster, snail, squid) and also have a >70% risk of reacting to shellfish in the crustacean family (crawfish, crab, lobster, shrimp). If you suspect your baby may be allergic to shellfish, consult an allergist before introducing scallops.

As they are not closely related, being allergic to shellfish does not mean that an individual will also have a finned fish allergy. However, you may need to be careful about the risk of shellfish proteins cross-contaminating finned fish and other seafood, as they are often prepared in the same facilities using shared tools and cooking materials.

As you would do with any new food, introduce scallops by serving a small quantity at first and watching closely for signs of any adverse reaction. If all goes well, gradually increase the quantity over future meals.

Yes. Scallops are rich in protein and offer essential nutrients like choline, vitamins B6 and B12, zinc, and iodine. Depending on where they come from, scallops can contain varying levels of cadmium, a heavy metal that can negatively affect neurological development when consumed in excess. No food is perfect, so if the family regularly enjoys scallops, aim to offer them as one part of a variety of foods in the diet.

Scallops, like most seafood, carry an increased risk of foodborne illness from a variety of bacteria, including vibriosis. When cooking scallops, take great care to ensure they are fresh and of good quality and make sure to cook them thoroughly.

As long as the scallops are finely chopped to reduce choking risk, babies can have canned scallops as soon as they are ready for solids, generally around 6 months of age. If you would like to reduce sodium in baby’s food, you can choose a low-sodium or no-salt-added brand, when available. Learn more about sodium and babies on our Sodium FAQ page.

There is no age at which eating raw scallops is without risk, so whether or when to serve raw scallops is a personal decision for which you must calculate risk. Raw scallops pose a very high risk of foodborne illness, especially Vibrio, a harmful bacteria that causes watery diarrhea among other symptoms in babies, children, and adults alike. The risk of severe illness is even higher in individuals with complex medical backgrounds, taking stomach acid reducing medications, and/or who are immunocompromised. Cooking shellfish to an internal temperature of 145 F (63 C) helps to kill bacteria in the food.

The seafood in ceviche is still raw and uncooked and thus embodies the same risks as any other raw seafood dish. While lime and other citrus juices do have antimicrobial properties that reduce the risk of bacterial pathogens, they cannot fully eliminate them. Therefore, when or whether to serve scallop ceviche should involve the same decision-making process you would use for any other raw scallop dish, knowing that raw shellfish poses a very high risk of foodborne illness.