Is microwave safe?!
Question: will it cause cancer?
Answers: will it cause cancer?
Yes they are fairly safe.
But you should be aware that exposure to microwave radiation for extended periods may well cause certain cancers to occur. They may also cause cataracts, birth defects and other serious health problems including nervous system damage, headaches, and pacemaker interference.
New ovens are typically designed so as not to exceed 1mW/cm2 of radiated power. In addition, any leak that exceeds 5mW/cm2 at a distance of 2 inches from a microwave oven is considered to be dangerous and the oven should not be used. Ovens can deteriorate over time and should be checked to ensure that these limits are not exceeded.
If an oven is in good condition then it would present no more risk then anything else around your home such as eating processed food, using mobile phones, living near HV power lines, or living in your house which exposes you to electromagnetic radiation from the electrical wiring.
Also, the other aspect and some area of concern is the safety of eating foods from a microwave. This really depends on the containers used to heat the food in. Some plastics, for instance, are more prone to the effect of "migration". whereby some additives used in plastics are more likely to migrate to foods more than others. The main concern in the past has been in connection with plasticisers which are used to improve the flexibility of some packaging materials. As the tendency for plasticisers to migrate increases at higher temperatures, only those plastics specifically designed for oven use are suitable for cooking.
To reduce any possible risk one should;
* Use only microwave-safe utensils.
* While some packaging films may be labelled 'microwave-safe' care should be taken to avoid direct contact with the food when using them to cover containers or to reheat dinners on plates.
* As migration is more likely to occur into hot fatty foods, glass containers are a suitable choice for heating these products.
As yet there are no standards for claims such as "microwave safe"; if you are in doubt as to the safety of such materials contact the manufacturer or use a ceramic/glass alternative.
Further, there are also many reports that indicate the loss of vitamins and certain goodness from foods that are microwaved, but the fact is that the nutritional value of food cooked in microwave is as nutritious as food prepared using conventional convection cooking methods. In fact as far as the loss of vitamins is concerned microwave cooking is preferable to boiling so as to minimise possible leaching of vitamins into the cooking water. So if anything, microwave cooking enhances mineral retention in vegetables. Further, the quality of protein, in foods cooked in a microwave is higher than those foods cooked conventionally, as far less oxidation occurs in meat cooked in a microwave. Similarly, reheating food quickly in a microwave retains more nutrients than holding food hot for long periods such as cooking and keeping food warm continually over a flame.
If you would like to read some more information on the subject the following link that has been prepared in conjunction with the CSIRO, would be a good source.-
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