User:Vealoshawa/Microwaves subsection

Thermal treatment of food is used to destroy bacterial contamination, to prevent food poisoning. When properly used, microwave ovens, like most cooking appliances, are sufficient for that purpose. On the other hand, since this method is characterized by uneven heating, parts of food may fail reaching recommended temperatures.

Microwaves are commonly used to reheat leftovers and they can also be used to cook food that poses high risk of food poisoning. To minimize health risk, entire meal needs to reach appropriate safe temperature. As thoroughly explained above, microwaving cooks uneven due to a number of factors: surface heating, power distribution, food geometry and energy absorption among them, some alleviated in device design (fe. with turntable). Heat within food is conducted from warmer to colder parts over time and once heating is over, the temperature begins to even out. Even if microwaved food seems properly reheated or cooked, parts of it may have never reached safe temperatures, leaving harmful bacteria alive.

There are multiple adjustments that can improve safety of microwaved food. Temperature can be controlled with food thermometer, preferably in multiple, inner parts of meal. More even temperature can be achieved by cooking slower, stirring or turning food (even if there is already a turntable), deboning, careful arrangement of items or cooking food in a container with small vent or a cooking bag.