Lobsters and crabs cooked in boiling water feel no pain.

[John Gulliver]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117...-23109,00.html
PS I bet that'll get Lou going

[Rick Huggins]

Bolderdash!

[Mark Chase]

The preferred way is to put them in warm water and bring it to the boil. The 02 is dissipated from the water when hot and the lobster or crab passes out before it dies. Personally I stick a knife thorough their heads before they get into the pot. There food and their underwater cockroaches but there is still no need for undue suffering.

ATB

Mark Chase

[Noel Johnson]

The trouble with the needle/knife method is it just paralyses the lobster, I, personally, think a more humane way is to put it in the freezer for a couple of hours which sends it to sleep then drop it in the boiling water.

[John Gulliver]

I'm not saying they're right, but the Norwegian experts say they (lobsters and crabs) don't feel any pain and who am I (or you) to question that? Assuming for the sake of argument that they are right, why seek a more humane way of doing it?

[tom]

Apparently Norwegian experts feel no pain if you anaesthatise them then cut their heads off while they're unconscious.

[Lou]

Okay, I'll bite!

RSPCA advice here, from investigation and collation of otehr researh suggests they do feel pain when plunged into boiling water. Empirical evidence of them trying to crawl out would tend to support this view ;(

They have suggested the freezer method, but, correctly applied, the knife through the head is better. You can kill them like this, rather than paralyse them. Obviously paralysis ok for the parts of the body which are paralysed but still leaves pain receptors working in the upper regions.

As I understand it, it is more common for crabs to be dead before cooking than lobsters - why is this?

Lou

p.s Spinach feels no pain when dunked into a pan of boiling water, but I do if you serve it to me dripping wet. Steaming is a kinder option...

[Noel Johnson]

Originally Posted by John Gulliver

I'm not saying they're right, but the Norwegian experts say they (lobsters and crabs) don't feel any pain and who am I (or you) to question that? Assuming for the sake of argument that they are right, why seek a more humane way of doing it?

John,

I'm not saying they're right or wrong: I wouldn't even know where to start with research like that, but purely from a conscience point of view though I prefer the sleeping method.

Cheers,

Noel.

[Hoppy]

Originally Posted by Noel Johnson

The trouble with the needle/knife method is it just paralyses the lobster, I, personally, think a more humane way is to put it in the freezer for a couple of hours which sends it to sleep then drop it in the boiling water.

But surely they "wake up" pretty damned quick ? Or am I being stoopid ?

[Janos]

Hoppy,

Being put in the freezer send them to sleep and then kills them, so it's ok to put them in boiling water.

I'm a knife through the head man myself.

Janos