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MICROWAVE
OVEN SAFETY
May 2006
The modern day microwave oven was first introduced in 1967. By the 1970’s
it had become one of the most common appliances in our kitchen and now
90% of American homes have one. It is energy efficient, convenient, and
life becomes harder without it. Imagine the trouble it takes to warm up
your leftovers on the stove. However, precautions need to be taken so
that it does not become harmful.
This occurs if water is heated in a clean cup. If foreign materials such as instant coffee, sugar, or even a wooden stir stick are added before heating, the risk is greatly reduced. If superheating has occurred, a slight disturbance or movement such as picking up the cup, or pouring in a spoon full of instant coffee, may result in a violent eruption with the boiling water exploding out of the cup, leading to serious burns.
This situation is
very easily avoidable. Just follow these tips:
• Insert an object into the water before heating, such as a wooden
stir stick.
• Follow the precautions and recommendations found in the
instruction manuals, specifically the heating time.
A simple and safe test that you can do at home to check for leaks is to
run a finger around the edge of the door while the oven is operating (with
something in it). If slight warmth is felt at any point, the oven is probably
leaking some amount of radiation. Check also to see if the door and faceplate
are free of food spatters that can build up and affect the door seal enough
to cause leakage.
Do not panic! Unless you stand right up against the microwave while it is running for long periods of time, this amount of radiation is not harmful; however, you may want to have your microwave serviced.
Quick
Tips for Safe Microwaving
• If foods are different sizes, arrange them in microwaveable dishes
so thick parts are toward the outside, since the outer edges heat faster.
Stir halfway through cooking.
• After heating foods in the microwave, allow 2 minutes standing
time for the heat to disperse. If reheating foods, be sure it is piping
hot.
• Don’t cook with metal containers, silverware, tin foil,
or twist ties in the microwave; they can cause sparking and lead to a
fire inside the oven.
• Plastic and Styrofoam storage containers such as margarine tubs,
take-out containers, and other one-time-use containers should not be used
in microwave ovens. These containers can warp or melt, possibly causing
harmful chemicals to leak into the food.
• If the food is covered during cooking, make sure to leave a small
portion vented so steam doesn't build up and burn you when the covering
is removed.
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©CNS/RQA/CA, INC
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Steaming
vegetables in the microwave retains nutrients better than many
conventional cooking methods.
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