I have a friend who is allergic to shrimp , it can really mess him up.

He carries medication because you can't be sure that dishes won't contain it, even if the staff say there is none.

I have been told that Chinese do not actually acknowledge the existence of food allergies - at least in some of the lower tiered cities. I tried saying this in Jiangxi province, to make it easier to get them to understand I don't want 'peppers' (capsicum) in my food... it didn't work! :( (probably because that would involve some sort of 'effort' called 'customer service' and doing something different..."What, don't put something in??? no, can't do that!")

I am pea-nutter. I can't stop eating, when I have bag of peanuts in shell. Is this 'allergy'? Too?

However, in China peanuts in shell are sweetened and I am sensible to sugar, so I stay away. Chinese dip them in sugary water and dry them off.

Best nutters I ate was in Georgia and Delaware. Huge .....

The sad truth is they wouldn't acknowledge being allergic (genetic problem/ being different), they'd just say they don't eat ..... Also many probably died at very young ages.