Microwave Safety and Tips
Don't use the microwave for deep-frying, canning, or
heating baby bottles. These applications don't allow
adequate temperature control for safe results.
Stay with the oven when microwaving popcorn, for heat
buildup can cause a fire. Time heating per instructions
but lean toward the shorter time (some ovens can scorch
popcorn in two minutes).
Don't dry or disinfect clothing or other articles in
the microwave because of the risk of fire.
Use only microwave-safe utensils. Hot food melts some
plastics, such as margarine tubs, causing migration of
package constituents. It's a good idea to use glass for
fatty foods, which get particularly hot, though not all
glass and ceramics are microwave-safe.
Here's a quick test for glass: Microwave the empty
container for one minute. It's unsafe for the microwave
if it's warm; it's OK for reheating if it's lukewarm; and
it's OK for actual cooking if it's cool.
Properly used, a microwave oven is extremely safe.
Under authority of the Radiation Control for Health and
Safety Act, FDA's-Center for Devices and Radiological
Health ensures that microwave ovens made after 1971 meet a
radiation safety standard requiring: two independent
interlock systems to stop microwave production the moment
the latch is released or the door is opened. A monitoring
system stops the oven if either or both of the interlocks
fail.
To be sure radiation levels from a microwave oven
remain as low as possible, consumers can take these steps:
Don't use an oven if an object is caught in the door
or if the door doesn't close firmly or is otherwise
damaged. If you have an older model oven with a soft mesh
door gasket. Check for deterioration which would require
servicing.
If you suspect excessive microwave leakage, contact
the manufacturer, a reputable servicing firm, the local
state health department. The FDA has found the inexpensive
home microwave-testing devices that are available to be
generally inaccurate.
Don't operate an empty oven if the introduction manual
warns against this. In some ovens the magnetron tube can
be damaged by unabsorbed energy.
If there are signs of rusting inside the oven, have
the oven repaired.
Clean the door and oven cavity---the outer edge. too.
---with water and mild detergent. Do not use abrasives
such as scouring pads.
Follow the manufacturer's instruction manual for
recommended operating procedures and safety precautions.
Be sure children who use the microwave can do so
safely.
There previously was concern that electromagnetic
emissions from microwave ovens could interfere with heart
pacemakers. Modern pacemakers are shielded against such
interference, but some older models may still be
adversely affected by proximity to a microwave oven. If
in doubt, check with your doctor.
Microwaved foods typically retain more vitamins and
minerals foods cooked by other methods because
microwaving takes less and doesn't require much
additional water.
Though microwaves produce heat directly in the food,
they really don't cook food from the inside out. With
thick foods like roasts microwaves generally cook only
about an inch of the outer layers. The heat is then slowly
conducted inward, cooking along the way.
An area of a food where there is increased moisture
will heat more quickly than other areas. So, when heating
up a jelly roll, for instance, it's a good idea to let the
food stand after cooking for a minute or two until the
heat disperses from the high moisture jelly to the low
moisture pass throughout. To promote uniform cooking,
recipes for microwave ovens usually include directions
such as turn the food midway through cooking and cover and
let stand after cooking.
As a rule, it's not good to use metal pans made for
conventional ovens or aluminum foil because reflected
microwaves cause uneven cooking and could even damage the
oven. However, some new metal cookware is specially
configured for use in microwave ovens. These pans are
safe, provided instructions for use are carefully
followed.
Some oven models have a protector on the magnetron
tube to allow use of a small amount of metal, such as meat
skewers or strips of foil over chicken wings and legs. The
instructions that come with each microwave oven tell what
kinds of containers to use and how to test for suitability
for use.
The following test is used for gauging energy output:
Fill a glass measuring cup with exactly 1 cup of tap
water. Microwave, uncovered, on "high" until water begins
to boil.
If boiling occurs in: wattage is:
less than 3 minutes 600 to 700
3 to 4 minutes 500 to 600
more than 4 minutes less than 500 watts