Microwave Ovens and Food Safety Issues : Part 2

by Health Canada

(Page 2 of 2)

Use a food thermometer to check that your food has reached a safe internal temperature. Take the temperature at several locations, especially in the thickest area of the meat, to ensure that the food is cooked all the way through. Make sure that the thermometer is inserted away from bone, fat or gristle. For example:

• all ground beef products should be cooked to 71°C (160°F).
• food mixtures containing poultry, eggs, meat and fish should be cooked to 74oC (165°F).
• leftovers should be heated to 74°C (165°F).
• Never cook whole poultry, including turkey in the microwave.

Burns

It is always important to be careful when handling or eating hot food. With conventional cooking methods, there are often warning signs that you are dealing with high temperatures. However, your microwave oven is enclosed and you cannot see the source of heat, so you may get a false sense of how hot the food and containers may be.

Therefore, with microwave ovens, there are specific concerns about potential burns related to:

"Superheated" liquids: These liquids are at or above the boiling point, but look harmless and show no sign (such as bubbling) that the liquid has boiled. When you remove superheated liquids from the microwave oven, they can erupt suddenly and cause serious skin burns.

Heat transfer from food to containers: Many microwave-safe containers and dishware are not heated directly by microwave energy. However, parts of these containers may become very hot due to heat transfer from the food being cooked.

Heating formula in baby bottles: When you heat baby formula in a microwave oven, the outer container (or baby bottle) may feel cool to the touch even though the formula inside is very hot. This can pose a risk of serious burns to the baby.

To minimize these risks when using the microwave oven:

Be careful when heating liquids and removing them from the oven. Avoid superheating liquids by stopping the microwave oven part way through the heating process to stir the liquid.

Always use containers labelled as microwave-safe. Use protective oven mitts or pot holders when you remove containers/dishware from the oven.

If you heat a bottle of baby formula in the microwave, be sure to shake the contents and test the temperature of the formula on your own skin before you go ahead with feeding the baby. Health Canada recommends using conventional methods, such as a baby bottle warmer, to heat baby formula. With these methods, you can use the warmth of the bottle to measure the temperature of the inner liquid more accurately.

Other Concerns regarding Containers and Food Wraps

Some foods come wrapped in materials (e.g., styrofoam) that may not be suitable for use in the microwave. These materials could leach chemicals into your food or cause burns if they melt during microwave cooking. To minimize risks when using your microwave oven:

• Do not re-use trays or containers that come with conv
• enience foods. These are designed for one-time use only.
• Do not use containers intended for cold storage (e.g., margarine tubs) or wrappings that come with packaged foods.
• Make sure the plastic wraps and containers you use are labelled as microwave-safe.

As a general safety precaution, always supervise young children when they use the microwave oven (or any other cooking appliance). Finally, read and follow the manufacturer's directions for using the oven, and keep the oven in good working order.

Health Canada's Role

Health Canada carries out many different activities to minimize risks related to the use of microwave ovens. For example, Health Canada has established a regulation under the Radiation Emitting Devices Act to govern the design, construction and functioning of microwave ovens that are imported, sold or leased in Canada. This regulation specifies limits for microwave leakage from ovens.

In addition, Health Canada assesses risks, sets standards and monitors the safety record of such products as microwave cooking containers and food packaging materials, and establishes policies on the safety and nutritional value of food. As a founding member of the Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education, Health Canada also participates in public awareness campaigns about safe food practices. One example is CanFight BAC™, a program that encourages Canadian consumers to think of food safety at every step of the food handling process, from shopping for groceries to reheating leftovers.

About the Author

www.hc-sc.gc.ca
Health Canada is the Federal department responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health, while respecting individual choices and circumstances.