Lobsters can feel pain, new study confirms

A new study confirms that even lobsters can feel pain: when they are given common painkillers used by humans, they stop trying to escape from painful electric shocks, indicating that the drugs are effective.

This was discovered in research published in the journal Scientific Reports and led by the University of Gothenburg. The authors are calling for less traumatic methods of killing crustaceans, CE Report quotes ANSA.

“The fact that painkillers developed for humans also work on lobsters shows how similar our biological functioning is,” said Lynne Sneddon, who led the study. “That’s why it’s important to pay attention to how we treat and kill crustaceans, just as we do with chickens and cows.”

Some countries, such as Norway and New Zealand, have banned boiling crustaceans alive for ethical reasons. The fishing industry is also considering using electric shocks to stun animals before cooking.

However, the study found that this method may also be painful: when Norway lobster (commonly known as scampi) were subjected to electric shocks in water, they attempted to escape.

Researchers administered two types of painkillers—acetylsalicylic acid and lidocaine—either by injection or dissolved in water. In both cases, escape behavior was significantly reduced or absent, although acetylsalicylic acid also caused signs of stress in the animals.

“Our findings highlight the importance of ethical responsibility for the welfare of crustaceans, not only in the food industry,” Sneddon added. “Further research is needed to determine the most humane way to treat and kill crustaceans if we want to continue consuming them in the future.”