Mealworm farming is rapidly expanding as a sustainable protein source, raising important welfare questions about these insects that are increasingly considered to have sentience.
Mealworm welfare sits at the cutting edge of our evolving understanding of insect sentience. While the evidence for mealworm consciousness is weaker than for vertebrates, the precautionary principle suggests that as production scales to billions of animals, even a small probability of sentience creates substantial welfare obligations. The good news is that optimal mealworm production conditions appear to align with better welfare, and slaughter by freezing or heating provides a potentially less aversive end than alternatives. This remains an area requiring continued research and thoughtful regulation.