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Microwaves Should Zap Food And Bacteria

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 7, 2008

OMAHA, Neb. - Zapping frozen meals in the microwave may be fast and easy, but it can make you sick if it's not done properly.

The government issued a new warning this week urging consumers to thoroughly cook frozen chicken dinners after 32 people in 12 states were sickened with salmonella poisoning.

"Given how people use microwaves, it's great for reheating, but maybe not so good for cooking," said Doug Powell, scientific director of the International Food Safety Network based at Kansas State University.

The problem is that microwaves heat unevenly, and can leave cold spots in the food that harbor such dangerous bacteria as E. coli, salmonella or listeria. That means microwaving anything that has raw meat, whether it's frozen or thawed, can cause problems.

Know Your Oven
Microwave cooking instructions are calibrated to cook food to a safe temperature based on particular wattages, or power. Food takes longer to cook safely in a microwave with lower wattage than one with higher wattage.

But checking your user manual for wattage ratings may not be enough. A microwave's actual output can differ from whatever figure the manufacturer states, and it can deteriorate over time.

To test your microwave, place several ice cubes in water and stir to make sure the water is ice cold, then remove and discard any remaining ice. Measure 1 cup of ice water and set it in the microwave. Heat the water on high for 4 minutes, but watch to see when the water boils. If the water boils in less than 2 minutes, the oven has at least 1,000 watts.

If water boils in 21/2 minutes, the microwave produces about 800 watts. If water boils in 3 minutes or longer, it is a low-wattage oven producing about 700 watts or less.

Check The Temperature
Food safety experts recommend that consumers use an instant-read food thermometer to check the final temperature of microwaved food. Be sure to check in several places to ensure there are no cold spots.

If the cooking instructions call for letting the food sit for a bit after cooking, wait until after this period before taking the temperature. This time is part of the cooking process and allows the heat to spread evenly through the food.

Foods that contain raw chicken must be heated to 165 F, according to federal guidelines.

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