Saviour of culinarily challenged and overworked (or simply lazy) people everywhere, microwave
ovens are celebrated for their convenience in heating and cooking food quickly.
These appliances also seem like an unlikely place for microbes to reside as they “cook” by emitting electromagnetic waves to superheat whatever you put in them.
Surely, such an environment should be enough to sterilise both the device and whatever you pop into it.
Is it true, then, that bacteria and other microbes can survive and proliferate inside microwaves?
VERDICT:
TRUE
Microwaves heat things by emitting electromagnetic waves that cause molecules in food or liquid to vibrate violently, generating heat through friction. This process can raise the temperature of edibles to levels that are sufficient to kill many types of microbes.
However, the microwave oven itself is far from a pristine environment.
These devices can still easily harbour bacteria, as detailed in a paper published in Frontiers in
Microbiology found that communities of germs thrive in microwave ovens.
It is not just a specific few types of microbes that are microwave-resistant either, as the researchers discovered over 100 strains of microbes across the 30 microwave ovens inspected during their study.
The authors of the study added that the microbes found living in microwaves were the same as
those that can be found on other kitchen surfaces.
These are mostly “human-skin bacteria”, or bacteria transferred onto high-contact surfaces from our own skin.
Much like other types of microbes that call an unhygienic kitchen home, some of these microwave bacteria can give you some nasty food poisoning.
While it is still unclear how these microbes can survive the high temperatures and radiation emitted by microwaves, the research team suggests cleaning these appliances just as thoroughly as you would any other kitchen surface.
Do not just assume that food that has been popped into a microwave is safe to eat, either.
Microwaves can sometimes heat food unevenly, resulting in cold spots where bacteria may survive.
These cold spots occur because electromagnetic waves can penetrate only a certain depth. As such, heat distribution can be inconsistent, particularly with foods of varying density or in large quantities.
When in doubt, give your food a good stir and some extra time in the oven.
To minimize the risk of bacterial survival in microwaves, it is important to practise proper hygiene and maintenance. Regularly clean the microwave turntable, walls and door to prevent bacterial buildup. Don’t leave any residue or spills lying around, either!
Sources:
1. https://www.snexplores.org/
2. https://www.nature.com/
3. https://www.smithsonianmag.
study-suggests-180984861/
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3. https://www.pexels.com/photo/
