Microwave Popcorn Health Scare

A recent news piece on CNN Prime News Tonight with Erica Hill revealed evidence that microwave popcorn could be harmful to your health. In the news piece it was discovered that Fluorooctanoic Acid was shown to be in high levels in microwave popcorn bags.

Fluorooctanoic Acid, which is added to the microwave-popcorn bags as a resistant coating, releases onto the popcorn when the bag is heated up and is then absorbed into the bloodstream and stays there for a long time. This chemical appears to be carcinogenic in lab animals. The FDA is now studying the affects of this chemical in greater detail.

In addition to the problem above, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is studying a different problem associated with the butter flavoring in microwave popcorn. NDTV had this to report: "Exposure to vapors from butter flavoring in microwave popcorn has been linked to a rare lung disease contracted by factory workers in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska." The companies who manufacture the harmful Teflon chemical stated they will eliminate the chemical by the year 2015.

Here is a recent headline:

How to Clean a Microwave

One of the big advantages a microwave has over a conventional oven is that it is so easy to keep clean, especially if you keep food covered when you cook it.

But even the most careful of cooks will have a disaster from time to time, and there are always the casual users who 'forget' to put the lid on. The resulting mess is all too often left for someone else to take care of. In a microwave, that's not such a problem.

First of all, it's important not to use conventional cleaning agents in a microwave oven. Traces of them stuck to the sides can create operational problems as well as unpleasant flavors in the food you cook. Fortunately you don't need them.

Keeping the cooker clean and fresh is so simple, and so economical, that you will not have any trouble fitting it into your routine once a week. More often if you do happen to have a spill.

All you need to do is put four cups of water (no less) in a glass bowl and add two tablespoons of vinegar. You could also use the juice of a lemon or even two teaspoons of vanilla essence.

Microwave Ovens Need Love Too

Microwave ovens need to be maintained regularly, or there could be some serious consequences. Microwaves generally seem like simple and reliable appliances, but like anything that ages, things can go wrong with it. Any microwave oven that is getting older than say 15 years, should probably be checked. If you find that food is taking much longer to cook then usual, then perhaps it's time to have a professional service done. They can test for radiation leakage or any other problems that the microwave is experiencing. 

They can also make a determination as to whether the microwave oven should be replaced. Chances are, that any microwave of that age should just be replaced. They are pretty inexpensive items, and the newer ones are likely to have more features and conveniences to make your cooking experience more enjoyable. Just in case your one of those avid do-it-yourselfers, here's a warning. Do not attempt to repair a microwave oven. This is a job strictly for professionals. Microwave circuits carry 3000 to 5000 and sometimes higher volts of electricity. One of the most common repairs that occur in a microwave is a worn out fuse, that gets zapped by a power surge. Easily replaced by a pro, and saves the need of buying a new microwave.

TIPS Before Buy a Microwave Oven

You buy a microwave oven about as often as you buy other major appliances - which isn't very often! Before you go to the store, there are some things to consider. It's a good idea to think about these topics, make a list, and take it with you to the store so you easily compare features and make an informed decision.

Consider What You Cook
If you are a light user, your microwave is used primarily for melting and reheating, or perhaps making popcorn. You don't need lots of fancy features, so don't pay for them! If you enjoy experimenting with products and use your microwave to prepare entire meals, look for the latest innovations and more variable features. If your children use the microwave, ease of use and safety features become more important.


Wattage
A higher wattage will cook foods faster. Most microwaves have power that falls between 600 to 1200 watts. Recipes written for the microwave usually specify power of at least 800 watts so the foods cook evenly.

A few words about microwave safety

1. The foods should sit as directed in the recipe after being removed from the oven so the heat can continue to spread and dissipate. This is called 'standing time', but it is actually more cooking time.
2. The foods will be very hot when removed from the oven, so use oven pads and be careful.
3. If the food is covered during cooking, make sure to leave a small portion vented, or uncovered, so steam doesn't build up and burn you when the covering is removed.
4. Most ovens have hot spots, and if you eat the food directly from the oven, a few areas could be superheated and will burn.
5. On the flip side, there can also be cold spots where the food doesn't get hot enough to kill bacteria. Follow stirring and rotating instructions carefully.

How to Use a Microwave Oven

The microwave oven is now an essential part of most kitchens. During the summer or other hot times of the year, it's an excellent appliance to use because it won't heat up your kitchen the way an oven will. Unfortunately, most people still use the microwave to heat coffee, melt butter or make popcorn. That's just fine - but the appliance can do so much more!

The microwave works when the high voltage is converted to waves of electromagnetic energy, which is a combination of electrical and magnetic energy. This energy is in the frequency band of radio waves, not x-rays. A wave guide and stirrer blade work together to make sure the energy reaches all areas of the oven interior. When the door is opened or the timer reaches zero, the energy automatically stops, so no microwave radiation leaves the oven. All ovens also have two independent systems that ensure the electrical activity stops as soon as the door is opened.

Variants and accessories

A variant of the conventional microwave is the convection microwave. A convection microwave oven is a combination of a standard microwave and a convection oven. It allows food to be cooked quickly, yet come out browned or crisped, as from a convection oven. Convection microwaves are more expensive than conventional microwave ovens. Some convection microwaves—those with exposed heating elements—can produce smoke and burning odors as food spatter from earlier microwave-only use is burned off the heating elements.

Microwave Oven History

A microwave oven (often referred to colloquially simply as a "microwave") is a kitchen appliance that heats food by dielectric heating, using microwave radiation to excite polarized molecules within the food. Microwave ovens heat foods quickly and efficiently, because excitation is fairly uniform in the outer 1 inch (25 mm) to 1.5 inches (38 mm) of a dense (high water content) food item; food is more evenly heated throughout (except in thick, dense objects) than generally occurs in other cooking techniques.


Raytheon invented the first microwave oven after World War II from radar technology developed during the war. Named the 'Radarange', it was first sold in 1947. Raytheon later licensed its patents for a home-use microwave oven that was first introduced by Tappan in 1955, but these units were still too large and expensive for general home use. The countertop microwave oven was first introduced in 1967 by the Amana Corporation, which had been acquired in 1965 by Raytheon.