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Explosive Microwave Danger - 'Superheating' "Despite this danger, Bloomfield says a microwave is "actually one of the safest devices in your kitchen when used correctly." Louis Bloomfield [Editor's Note: If you believe the above caption, then I have a bridge you might be interested in buying. The 'safest' way to use a microwave oven is never to use one. Their dangers go far beyond superheating water.]

From ABC News
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/primetime/2020/PRIMETIME_010315_superheating_feature.html
3-19-1

Patty Long put water in the microwave and waited three minutes for it to boil, but something seemed wrong: no bubbles. So she heated the water a little longer. When she took it out, Long recalls, the water "exploded like a bullet up into my face. It hit the ceiling too."

Long was rushed to the emergency room, where she was treated with first- and second-degree burns all over her face. Even worse, the corneas of her eyes had been scalded.

"I was afraid I would never see my kids again," says Long, who lives in Naperville, Ill. It took six months of treatment for Patty to fully recover her sight.

Boiling Without Bubbles

Experts say that what caused Long's injury is known as "superheating," which is one of the most potentially hazardous problems that can occur when heating water or other liquids in a microwave oven. The scientific definition of superheating is that water can go above boiling temperature without any bubbles forming. "It's hotter than it should be for normal boiling to occur, and yet it doesn't boil," say Louis Bloomfield, physics professor at the University of Virginia. In a process called nucleation, the energy that's already in the water, however, can be triggered by a granule " such as a tea bag, instant coffee or a utensil " which can then cause the water to erupt.

"Anything that triggers the boiling once you've reached that temperature will cause catastrophic, very sudden flash boiling," explains Bloomfield. "And it can spray the water all over the room, the microwave or you."

Preventing Microwave Hazards

Despite this danger, Bloomfield says a microwave is "actually one of the safest devices in your kitchen when used correctly." Here are some tips to prevent superheating and other microwave problems:

Put your teabag or instant coffee in the water prior to heating the water in the microwave.

Always stir liquids before heating, suggests CiCi Williamson, food safety specialist at the USDA.

Don't put twist ties in the microwave. "It's like a wire with too much electricity running in it," says Bloomfield. "The charges pile up at the ends of that twist tie and can potentially make sparks."
Don't cook things too long. Sounds simple, right? But many people don't pay attention to how long they heat something for in the microwave. According to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, you should not heat liquid for more than two minutes.

Stir food midway through cooking to distribute heat and homogenize the temperature. Unlike a conventional oven, a microwave heats food from the inside out, rather than from the outside in. So the container may be cool but the contents beyond boiling temperature.

Allow standing time before touching. "A decent rule of thumb is to wait maybe a minute or two for every cup of water you've got," says Bloomfield, "to give it time for the evaporative process to cool down the liquid and bring it back toward the boiling temperature from above."

Sample food before giving it to a child or test the temperature and several places. "Until you stir it and then feel it carefully," saysBloomfield, "you don't know what the temperature of that next spoonful is." Do not let plastic wrap touch foods during microwaving and be sure to use a brand of plastic wrap that is microwave-safe. Loosen the plastic wrap on one corner."Turning a corner gives the steam a vent to escape, while keeping most of it in," says Williamson. Lift a lid or plastic wrap away from your face."Don't look at it while your lifting it," advises Williamson. "And start from the back of the dish."

Keep children away from microwaves when removing hot liquid or food.

Use a baby bottle warmer instead of heating a bottle in the microwave, as some formula and bottles have disposable plastic liners may be problematic.

Don't microwave in Styrofoam.

Do not dry herbs in the microwave, as they can ignite.

Use a turntable inside the microwave to keep the liquid moving and to promote more even heating, says Terry Dunn, General Electric's general manager of global communications.

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All information posted on this web site is the opinion of the author and is provided for educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as medical advice. Only a licensed medical doctor can legally offer medical advice in the United States. Consult the healer of your choice for medical care and advice.