Why do lobsters have to be killed alive? Do they release toxic substances or flavors?

Question

I just have the doubt because I study culinary arts and believe or not my professor couldn't answer my question.

I`m going to rephrase that question... Of course they have to be alive to be killed, but you dont boil a cow when its alive to kill it, i mean you dont boil it alive!!!!!!!!!!!
You do boil lobsters alive even if you are going to grill them... duh

Answer 1

becuase the look on their faces is priceless!

Answer 2

Since you can't kill something once it's dead, you have to kill it while it is alive.
I suppose if you eat a lobster that's from the East River it would contain toxic substances, and those substances probably have some sort of flavor, but those which come from the open sea have substantially lower toxins and therefore only have the flavors that make lobster yummy.
Perhaps you should go into biology or look into being a vet if you're so concerned.

Answer 3

I'm not sure about lobster, because I've never eaten a lobster, but I know with crawfish you put them in the boiling water when theyre alive. And after you boiled a big batch of them and everyone's standing around eating them, you can tell which ones were dead before being boiled. It's not uncommon to hear someone say "Don't eat the dead one's." They mean the one's with the tail sticking straight out, as opposed to being curled under. They are tough and lack flavor. That could be why lobster are cooked alive?

Answer 4

Again, all these snarky answers??

Please, only prepare and eat fresh lobster and shellfish and other crustaceans from the live state unless you buy it frozen. When you buy them from the fishmonger they should act feisty and active and not sluggish. Once dead, they decompose rapidly, bacteria flourish (especially botulism and salmonella) and they become toxic and the meat quality and taste degrades quickly.

If you are worried about "pain" just put the live lobsters (or crabs), wrapped in wet newspapers on a tray in the fridge. Chill for about 30 minutes before steaming them. This slows their systems down so they won't feel a thing or know what is happening. So I am told.

PS - don't boil them - it makes the meat soggy

Answer 5

first of all i wouldn't want to eat anything that had been dead because you are not sure how long it has been dead, where with lobsters you will know that they were alive and appeared healthy.

i also think the general concensus seems to be that if you drop them immediately in raplidly boiling water the meat will be more tender since they die fairly quickly versus a lslow death where they suffer, and the meat gets tough and chewy.

Answer 6

They don't have to be cooked alive. But they have to be cooked soon after they stop living. The meet goes mushy otherwise.

My sister brought live lobster to Alberta from Nova Scotia and she was afraid she would be poisoning us because some of them were not alive after she arrived.

We cooked them and the meat was still firm and when she phoned the company back in Nova Scotia, they confirmed that as long as the meat was still firm, they were fine.

Answer 7

"Why do lobsters have to be killed alive?" Is that even a real question?

Answer 8

If they were not alive you couldn't kill them.I"m sorry but I couldn't resist and I do not know the answer to the question I think you are asking.

Answer 9

How else you gonna kill a lobster. Would you want to kill a dead lobster?

Answer 10

Your taste buds could answer this.
just to ensure ultimate freshness, with all seafood the fresher the better: the taste is affected also uncooked seafood goes off quickly.
cruel as it may sound, if it was more practical they would do this to fish as well. again the difference on your taste buds will let you know why.

Answer 11

Everything has to be killed alive. If it was dead you wouldn't have to kill it.