Scallop IgE

Serum
Optimal Result: 0 - 0.35 kU/L.

The Scallop (F338) IgE test measures your immune system’s sensitivity to proteins found in scallops — a type of shellfish belonging to the mollusk family. This test specifically detects immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies that your body may produce in response to scallop allergens.

When someone with a scallop allergy eats scallops (or sometimes even comes into contact with them through cooking vapors or cross-contaminated utensils), their immune system can mistakenly identify scallop proteins as harmful. This triggers an IgE-mediated allergic reaction, releasing histamine and other chemicals that cause allergy symptoms.


Why Scallop IgE is Tested

Scallop allergy is a relatively common shellfish allergy, especially in adults. It often occurs alongside allergies to other mollusks (like clams, oysters, and mussels) or crustaceans (like shrimp, crab, and lobster).

This test helps:

  • Identify whether your allergic symptoms are related to scallop consumption.

  • Distinguish between mollusk and crustacean allergies.

  • Guide dietary recommendations and safety measures for people with suspected shellfish allergies.

  • Monitor changes in IgE levels over time to assess if sensitivity is increasing, stable, or improving.


Understanding Your Results

1. Elevated Scallop (F338) IgE:
A higher-than-normal level of scallop-specific IgE suggests sensitization to scallop proteins. This means your immune system has developed antibodies that recognize scallop as a potential threat.
However, sensitization does not always mean you will have symptoms when exposed — it indicates a risk of allergic reaction.

If you experience symptoms such as:

  • Hives, itching, or swelling (especially around the mouth or face)

  • Nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain

  • Wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath

  • Dizziness or anaphylaxis (in severe cases)

…then elevated Scallop IgE levels likely confirm a true scallop allergy. Avoidance of scallops and possibly all mollusks is typically recommended.


2. Normal or Undetectable Scallop (F338) IgE:
Low or undetectable IgE levels suggest that you’re unlikely to have an IgE-mediated scallop allergy. However, non-IgE-mediated reactions or food intolerances (which do not involve the immune system) can still occur and cause digestive discomfort or delayed symptoms.


Cross-Reactivity with Other Shellfish

Scallop allergy often overlaps with other shellfish sensitivities due to shared allergenic proteins such as tropomyosin, arginine kinase, and myosin light chain.
Cross-reactivity means that if you’re allergic to scallops, you might also react to:

  • Clams

  • Mussels

  • Oysters

  • Snails

  • Squid

  • Octopus
    And in some cases, to crustaceans like shrimp or lobster.
    Allergy testing for multiple shellfish species can help clarify your specific sensitivities.


Clinical and Lifestyle Implications

  • Strict avoidance of scallops and other related shellfish is the main treatment.

  • Read ingredient labels carefully — scallops can appear in mixed seafood dishes, soups, sauces, and restaurant-prepared meals.

  • Inform restaurants and food handlers about your allergy to prevent cross-contamination.

  • Carry an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen) if you’ve had moderate to severe reactions.

  • Work with an allergist to confirm your results through clinical evaluation or an oral food challenge if necessary.


Additional Notes

  • Scallop (F338) IgE testing is often performed using ImmunoCAP or similar technologies that quantify allergen-specific IgE antibodies in kilounits per liter (kU/L).

  • Results should always be interpreted alongside clinical history, symptom presentation, and other shellfish-specific IgE results.

  • If multiple shellfish markers are elevated, your healthcare provider may recommend a comprehensive shellfish avoidance plan and possible nutritional guidance to compensate for lost dietary protein or minerals.


Key Takeaway

A positive Scallop (F338) IgE result indicates that your immune system recognizes scallop proteins as allergens, suggesting a risk for allergic reactions upon exposure. Because shellfish allergies can be lifelong and sometimes severe, accurate diagnosis, avoidance strategies, and emergency preparedness are essential for safety and long-term health.

What does it mean if your Scallop IgE result is too high?

An elevated Scallop (F338) IgE level indicates that your immune system has produced a higher-than-normal amount of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies that specifically target proteins found in scallops. This response suggests sensitization or allergy to scallop — a type of shellfish in the mollusk family.

When scallop proteins enter the body, a sensitized immune system recognizes them as harmful and releases inflammatory chemicals such as histamine, triggering allergy symptoms that can range from mild to severe.


Possible Symptoms of a Scallop Allergy

Reactions can occur within minutes to hours after eating scallops or foods contaminated with scallop proteins. Common symptoms include:

  • Itching or tingling in the mouth

  • Hives, skin redness, or swelling (especially of the lips, eyes, or face)

  • Nausea, vomiting, or abdominal cramping

  • Coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath

  • Dizziness, low blood pressure, or loss of consciousness (in severe cases)

In rare but serious instances, scallop allergy can lead to anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction that requires immediate emergency care and the use of epinephrine (EpiPen).


Cross-Reactivity and Broader Shellfish Sensitivity

Scallop allergy is part of the mollusk shellfish group, which also includes clams, oysters, mussels, squid, and octopus.
Many individuals with an elevated Scallop (F338) IgE level may also react to other types of shellfish — including crustaceans (like shrimp, crab, and lobster) — because they share similar allergenic proteins such as tropomyosin.

If your scallop IgE is elevated, your healthcare provider may recommend testing for additional shellfish allergens to better understand your risk of cross-reactivity.


Common Triggers and Hidden Sources of Scallop Exposure

Even trace amounts of scallop protein can cause reactions in highly sensitive individuals.
Hidden sources may include:

  • Mixed seafood dishes (paella, seafood soups, chowders)

  • Sauces or broths made with shellfish stock

  • Cross-contamination in restaurant kitchens or seafood markets

  • Frying oils shared with other shellfish products

Reading ingredient labels and communicating your allergy clearly when dining out are key preventive steps.


What to Do if Your Scallop IgE Is Elevated

  1. Avoid all scallops and related mollusks unless otherwise advised by your allergist.

  2. Inform food handlers and restaurants about your shellfish allergy to prevent accidental exposure.

  3. Carry prescribed emergency medication, such as an epinephrine auto-injector, if you have a history of allergic reactions.

  4. Consult an allergist for a full evaluation — including possible oral food challenges or testing for other shellfish allergens.

  5. Monitor your IgE levels periodically to track changes in sensitivity over time.


Clinical Insight

While elevated IgE indicates an immune response, it does not always confirm the presence of clinical allergy symptoms. Some individuals may test positive for scallop IgE but tolerate small amounts of scallop without issue.
That’s why lab results should always be interpreted in context with your medical history and reaction patterns under the guidance of an allergist or immunologist.


Key Takeaway

An elevated Scallop (F338) IgE result means your immune system is sensitized to scallop proteins and may trigger an allergic reaction upon exposure. Because shellfish allergies are among the most common and potentially severe food allergies, strict avoidance, clear labeling awareness, and emergency preparedness are vital for staying safe.

Frequently asked questions

Healthmatters is a highly-personalized health dashboard.

Instead of searching for your lab results in different places or tracking them down from different providers, Healthmatters houses, organizes, and interprets them all in one central location.

With a Healthmatters account, you can dive into the details of each biomarker and gain insights into the meaning behind your medical test data, anytime, anywhere.

For our professional users, Healthmatters provides intuitive tools that not only streamline analysis but also save valuable time when delving into your client's lab report history.

Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 4000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:

  • The GI Effects® Comprehensive Stool Profile,
  • GI-MAP,
  • The NutrEval FMV®,
  • The ION Profile,
  • Amino Acids Profile,
  • Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH),
  • Organic Acids Test,
  • Organix Comprehensive Profile,
  • Toxic Metals,
  • Complete Blood Count (CBC),
  • Metabolic panel,
  • Thyroid panel,
  • Lipid Panel,
  • Urinalysis,
  • And many, many more.

You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.

If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.

While we work with many popular labs, we welcome reports from lots of other places too.

It's as simple as this: if you can get a test done, you can upload it to Healthmatters and we can interpret results from any lab out there. If laboratories can analyze it, we can interpret it.

If you’re on the hunt for a specific biomarker, contact us and we'll add it to our database. Anything from blood, urine, saliva, or stool can be uploaded, understood, and tracked with your Healthmatters account.

There are two ways to add your test reports to your Healthmatters account. One option is to input the data using the data entry forms. The other method is to utilize our "Data entry service."

Our data entry forms offer an easy, fast, and free way for you to input the reports yourself. Self-entry allows you to add an unlimited number of reports at no cost. We make the self-entry process user-friendly, providing dozens of templates that pre-populate the most popular laboratory panels and offering instant feedback on entered values.

For those who prefer assistance, we offer a "Data entry service" to help you input your data. Simply attach an image or file of your lab test results, and a qualified team member from our data entry team will add the results for you.

We support various file types, including PDFs, JPGs, or Excel. This service is particularly useful if you have many reports to upload or if you're too busy to handle the data entry yourself.

Our special data entry service makes it easy to add your results to your private dashboard. Just attach an image or a file of your lab test results, and our skilled data entry team will do the work for you. It's all done by humans, ensuring that your data is entered accurately and with personal care for each client.

Depending on your account, the data entry service can be included for free or come at an additional cost of $15 per report.

For users on the Complete monthly plan, the first report is entered free of charge, and each additional report incurs a fee of $15.

Unlimited account holders enjoy the entry of ten reports without charge. Subsequent reports are subject to a $15 fee per report.

Additionally, users on the Complete plan can upgrade to a yearly subscription from the account settings. The annual subscription includes a data entry service for five reports.

The Unlimited plan is a one-time purchase for $250, and it covers your account for a lifetime with no additional payments.

For the Complete plan, the cost is $15 per month. You have the flexibility to cancel it anytime through your account settings, ensuring no further payments. To avoid charges, remember to cancel at least a day before the renewal date. Once canceled, the subscription remains active until the end of the current billing cycle.

Additionally, you can upgrade to the yearly Advanced plan from within your account. The annual cost is $79, and it comes with a data entry service for five reports.

You can always upgrade to a lifetime version with a prorated price from a monthly or yearly subscription.

Simply log in and navigate to your account settings to cancel your subscription. Scroll down to locate the 'Cancel' button at the bottom of the page. Ensure you cancel at least one day before the renewal date to prevent any charges. Once cancellation is requested, the subscription remains active until the conclusion of the current billing cycle.

Our goal has been to make your Healthmatters account as intuitive as possible.

We’ve crafted multiple ways for you to navigate your data, whether you're glancing at a single report or delving into your historical test reports.

1. Graph View:

Dive into a visual journey with our biomarker graphs, showcasing over 40 data points. Combining years of results unveils trends, empowering you to make informed decisions. Our visualization tools make it a breeze to compare and understand changes over time, even if your results are from different labs. A search function and filters simplify the exploration of extensive data, allowing you to focus on what needs attention.

2. All Tests View

Explore neatly organized reports on a timeline, highlighting crucial details like dates, critical results, and lab/panel names. Each report opens up to reveal in-depth descriptions and additional recommendations for each biomarker. The history of previous results is just a click away, and you can download a comprehensive report for deeper insights. Color-coded and user-friendly, it's designed for easy reading, understanding, and navigation.

3. Table View:

For a holistic view of all biomarkers side by side, our table view is your go-to. Results are neatly displayed in a categorized and dated table, ideal for those with an extensive test history. Utilize sorting, filters, and color-coding to enhance your analysis and gain extra insights.

Yes, you can download information from your account. We can compile your labs into a CSV file. To download all your labs, you can go to Account Settings, and at the bottom of the page, you will find a link to download your information.

Yes, you can print your report. To do so, navigate to "All tests" and open the report you wish to print. You'll find a print button in the right corner of the report. Click on it, and your browser's print window will open. If you prefer to print in a bigger typeface, adjust the scale using the print window settings.

Yes, you can! We highly recommend activating Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your account. To do so, please navigate to the "Profile and Security" section of your account, where you will find instructions for activating 2FA.

Yes, you can. When entering values for the biomarker, you will see an "Edit Range" button. Click this button, and you'll have the option to enter a custom range.

A personal account is all about keeping your own lab test results in check. It's just for you and your personal use.

The professional account is designed for health professionals who wish to track and organize their clients' laboratory results.

Yes, you can! Simply go to the "Invite Doctor" section, enter your doctor’s email address, and send the invitation. Your doctor will receive an email with secure access to view your results. You can revoke this access at any time. All shared information is securely encrypted and protected for your privacy.
Yes, you can! Go to the Graph view or Spreadsheet view. In the top-right corner, click "Export to Excel," and the file will be downloaded to your device.

Use promo code to save 10% off any plan.


We implement proven measures to keep your data safe.

At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.