The conversation surrounding how lobsters are prepared has officially reached a boiling point. Scientists are currently calling for an immediate, legally enforced ban on boiling, completely changing the way lobsters have been cooked for thousands of years.
The call comes just a few weeks after NYC announced it would officially move forward with a ban on foie gras.
Recent studies, including 2026 research from the University of Gothenburg, confirm that lobsters and other decapod crustaceans–including including crabs, crayfish, and shrimp–feel pain and experience distress in a manner similar to that of other mammals, including humans.
This challenges the belief that their reactions are merely reflexes.
Lobsters treated with human painkillers (aspirin and lidocaine) showed reduced escape behaviors (such as tail-flipping) when exposed to electric shocks, indicating a neurological response to pain rather than simple stimulation. Lynne Sneddon, Professor of zoophysiology at the University of Gothenburg, stated:
There is already evidence that decapod crustaceans exhibit signs of discomfort and stress, when exposed to injuries such as forced removal of a claw. Our latest experiments show that Norway lobsters react adversely to electric shocks which are painful to humans.
In light of these findings, scientists are calling on officials to implement a legally enforced ban on boiling. Norway, New Zealand, Austria, and several Australian states have already banned the boiling of live crustaceans on ethical grounds, and similar legislation is now being proposed in the United Kingdom.
Sneddon told the Daily Mail, “We should always seek to end the life of animals humanely, and we would never accept boiling a cow or chicken alive, so it is time to rethink the way we treat these animals.”
Scientists say that more humane methods of killing lobsters need to be developed, though more research is needed into how crustaceans react to pain in order to figure out the most humane slaughter method.
In the meantime, discussions regarding the humane treatment of lobsters often center on minimizing distress and pain during food preparation. Experts at the Hatfield Marine Science Centre suggest a more hands-on method that’s supposedly less painful for lobsters.
How to “humanely” kill a lobster
- Stun the lobster by putting it in a 35°F freezer for 15-30 minutes (this slows the metabolism and reduces responsiveness)
- Place the lobster belly-down on a stable surface
- Locate the small cross or indentation on the back of the head, about an inch behind the eyes
- Drive a sharp knife or screwdriver through the point until you hit the other side of the shell, twisting the spike to destroy the animal’s central nervous system
- Locate the small hole beneath the tail and repeat the process
- Return the lobster to the freezer to ensure it’s humanely euthanized
