When is microwave oven unsafe

This creates such violent friction that the water inside the food molecules begin to vibrate and heat up. Microwaves break chemical and molecular bonds, and can literally rip atoms apart, disrupting the basic biochemical structures of life. Government and industry studies suggest they pose no threat, but a growing body of knowledge now contradicts those claims. The Swiss scientist Hans Hertel, was the first to study microwave dangers, specifically, how cooking degrades and depletes food of nutrients—an effect that shows up in study participants' blood samples.

When the microwave radiation destroys and deforms food molecules, new harmful compounds form radiolytic compounds. These dangerous compounds harm the body in many ways. The research, from Search for Health Spring, : After study participants consumed microwaved vegetables, Swiss Scientist Hertel measured the following effects:. Another study of microwave problems reported in the medical journal, The Lancet , showed that when infant formula was microwaved for ten minutes, it altered the structure of its component amino acids, possibly resulting in functional, structural and immunological abnormalities.

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Do microwaves destroy beneficial nutrients? Mechanical abuse, a build-up of dirt, or wear and tear from continued use can cause door seals to be less effective.

Special equipment is needed to detect and measure the leakage. As Health Canada states: "Some early models of pacemakers were susceptible to interference from microwave ovens.

Improvements in the shielding and filtering of modern pacemakers and a reduction in the leakage levels from newer microwave ovens have reduced or eliminated these concerns. Most models today are not affected by being near a microwave oven, as long as the leakage is within the limits specified by Health Canada's regulation.

Anyone with a pacemaker who gets dizzy or experiences discomfort around a microwave oven should move away from the oven immediately and consult a health care professional. Adjustment of applied voltages, replacement of the microwave power generating component, dismantling of oven components, and refitting of waveguides must only by persons who have been specifically trained for such tasks.

Do not test a microwave power generating component without an appropriate load connected to its output. The power generated must never be allowed to radiate freely into occupied areas. Health Canada established the Radiation Emitting Devices Regulations , under the Radiation Emitting Devices Act in order to "govern the design, construction and function of microwave ovens that are sold, leased or imported into Canada.

Information about measuring equipment for microwave oven leakage can be obtained from the suppliers and manufacturers of such instruments. The Radiation Emitting Devices Regulation requires that the measuring instrument must be capable of measuring a power density of 1. Generally, metal pans or aluminum foil should also not be used in a microwave oven, as the microwaves are reflected off these materials causing the food to cook unevenly and possibly damaging the oven.

The instructions that come with each microwave oven indicate the kinds of containers to use. They also cover how to test containers to see whether or not they can be used in microwave ovens. The FDA received reports in the past of serious skin burns or scalding injuries around people's hands and faces as a result of hot water erupting out of a cup after it had been overheated in a microwave oven.

Super-heated water water heated past its boiling temperature does not appear to be boiling and occurs when water is heated by itself in a clean cup. If super-heating has occurred, a slight disturbance or movement such as picking up the cup, or pouring in a spoon full of instant coffee, may result in a violent eruption with the boiling water exploding out of the cup.

Adding substances such as instant coffee or sugar before heating greatly reduces this risk. Users should closely follow the precautions and recommendations provided in the microwave oven instruction manuals, specifically regarding heating times.

Users should make sure that they do not exceed the recommended heating times when determining the best time settings to heat water to the desired temperature. Through its Center for Devices and Radiological Health CDRH , the FDA sets and enforces standards of performance for electronic products to assure that radiation emissions do not pose a hazard to public health. A Federal standard 21 CFR This limit is far below the level known to harm people. Microwave energy also decreases dramatically as you move away from the source of radiation.

The standard also requires all ovens to have two independent interlock systems that stop the production of microwaves the moment the latch is released or the door is opened.

In addition, a monitoring system stops oven operation in case one or both of the interlock systems fail. All ovens must have a label stating that they meet the safety standard.

In addition, the FDA requires that all ovens have a label explaining precautions for use. This requirement may be dropped if the manufacturer has proven that the oven will not exceed the allowable leakage limit even if used under the conditions cautioned against on the label. To make sure the standard is met, FDA tests microwave ovens in its own laboratory. The FDA also evaluates manufacturers' radiation testing and quality control programs at their factories.

Microwave radiation can heat body tissue the same way it heats food.