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Microwaves - The Basic Info
By Carey Baird
The microwave was created in the 1940s after the phenomenon was discovered accidentally by a self-taught engineer named Percy Spencer. A cooking technique using the process was patented in 1945 by a company called Raytheon, and since then microwaves have begun appearing in virtually every home and in many restaurants and businesses for cooking purposes. Although just about every home in developed countries around the world contains a microwave, many people who own one do not really understand how they function. In this article, we’ll take a brief look at how microwaves work, as well as some of the potential hazards that have been attributed to microwaves over the years. Microwaves cook food by using dielectric heating, which passes non-ionizing microwave radiation through food. This radiation heats certain molecules, such as water and fats, causing them to spread their heat throughout the food. This allows microwave ovens to cook everything but the thickest food evenly, leading to the common misconception that microwave ovens cook food “from the inside out.” Microwaved food absorbs heat through the outer layers, just as with any cooking process. It is thought that microwaves cook food from the inside out because sometimes the microwave radiation will bypass elements on the food’s surface that does not conduct heat, such as dry material, thus the first part of food with a dry outside to heat up tends to be the center. Microwaves also provide a high level of convenience due to the rate at which they cook food. While many microwaves cannot replicate complex or flavor-enhancing effects such as browning and broiling, some are equipped with heating coils and even rotisserie capabilities. That said, many people use microwaves for their ability to quickly cook or reheat food, and they are useful for cooking certain foods such as popcorn and microwaveable meals. Many of the safety hazards that are actually experienced with microwaves are not those that people fear most. For example, many people think that microwave radiation is a significant hazard, and that one shouldn’t stand too close to a microwave during cooking. However, the Food and Drug Administration has restricted the amount of microwave radiation that can be expelled by a microwave during its entire lifetime to levels that are far below the levels considered to be harmful to people. Microwaves also emit non-ionizing radiation, which does not carry the cancer risks that x-rays and ultraviolet light do.
This article was created by online entrepreneur Carey Baird. More information can be found at PickledShark.com.
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The Humble Microwave
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