Microwaving

While microwaving is generally considered a boon to getting high nutrition from cooked foods, two new British studies indicate it sometimes can be a serious health bust. Food poisoning due to undercooking is more common than we think, accounting for 50 percent of all cases in Britain.

A study at Leeds University in England points to a surprising culprit: salt. Studying mashed potatoes with varying concentrations of salt, the researchers discovered that the mineral tends to change the way foods absorb microwave energy. It attracts microwaves so salted areas of foods tend to heat faster.

The danger in this, says Theodore Labuza, Ph.D., professor of food science and technology at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis-St. Paul, is that the food may be judged hot enough long before troublemaking microorganisms are killed. This can easily happen with salty microwave dishes found on grocery shelves. Another concern is the quick warm-up of leftovers.

To minimize the undermicrowaving risk, Labuza advises stirring and rotating foods during cooking and, ideally, checking the temperature with a food thermometer to see that it’s heated through.

Salting food after cooking is an obvious help, too. Avoid microwaving eggs, which may harbour salmonella bacteria.
Labuza also advises cooking convenience foods or presalted recipes longer and at a lower power than instructions suggest. Then let them sit out for a few extra minutes, covered but out of the oven, to ensure they are completely cooked. It’s especially necessary to take these precautions if your oven is underpowered. (400 watts or below).

Another good reason for reducing or better eliminating salt from the diet. Eggs are becoming riskier, meat doubly so. The vegetarian diet is the best.

John Theodorou
Athens, Greece