Warning Highlights Dangers Of Microwaving

Microwaving Frozen Dinners Is Fast And Easy, But Can Cause Illness Government Warns

(AP)  Zapping frozen meals in the microwave may be fast and easy, but it also can make you sick if it's not done properly.

That message has been slow to catch on, despite a spate of illnesses last year from improperly microwaved frozen foods. On Sunday, the government issued a new warning urging consumers to thoroughly cook frozen chicken dinners after 32 people in 12 states were sickened with salmonella poisoning.

"Given how people use microwaves, it's great for reheating, but maybe not so good for cooking," said Doug Powell, scientific director of the International Food Safety Network based at Kansas State University.

The problem is that microwaves heat unevenly, and can leave cold spots in the food that harbor dangerous bacteria, such as E. coli, salmonella or listeria. So microwaving anything that includes raw meat, whether it's frozen or thawed, can cause problems.

"I think most food-safety experts probably would have said it's not a good idea to microwave anything that's from a raw state," said Michael Davidson, a University of Tennessee food microbiologist.

Many people wrongly assume all frozen meals are precooked and only need to be warmed. It's a misconception fostered in part by foods prepared to appear cooked, such as chicken that has been breaded or pre-browned.

"I haven't worried about the safety of frozen food. Maybe I should," Kathy Tewhill said while perusing the frozen food aisle of a Hy-Vee grocery store.

In reality, even some meals designed to be microwaved can be unsafe if they are not heated thoroughly enough, or are cooked using directions meant for a microwave with different wattage.

The government doesn't track microwave-related food-borne illnesses, but every year more than 325,000 people are hospitalized for food-related illnesses. Last fall, hundreds became ill when Banquet pot pies made by ConAgra Foods were linked to a salmonella outbreak and frozen pizzas made by General Mills were tied to an E. coli outbreak. Both products were recalled.

Since then, food companies have revamped the cooking instructions on their frozen foods to ensure they are sufficient for killing off any dangerous bacteria, says Leslie Sarasin, head of the American Frozen Food Institute trade group.

ConAgra and Nestle Prepared Foods, two of the largest frozen foods producers, have rolled out revised instructions on many of their brands which include Stouffer's, Lean Cuisine, Banquet and Healthy Choice.

But preparing frozen foods safely may require a change in consumers' microwave habits, too. In the latest outbreak, some of the meals were microwaved even though the products weren't intended to be.

Microwaves produce short radio waves that penetrate food about 1 inch and excite water, fat and sugar molecules to produce heat. Food safety experts say that method poses more risk than a stove or oven because it heats food unevenly.

To be safe, they suggest getting a food thermometer and using it to check the temperature of microwaved food in several places, especially if the product includes raw ingredients.

"If you were going to make one of these things for a kid, you'd definitely want to be checking the temperatures on the things or using your (conventional) oven," Davidson said.

But spotting raw ingredient isn't always easy because the only clue most companies offer is the two words "COOK THOROUGHLY" on the front of the package.

Consumers also need to become better acquainted with the technical specifications of their microwaves. The unit's wattage — how powerful it is — influences how well it heats food, and cooking instructions are written for specific wattages.

But microwaves lose power over time, and some smaller microwaves may not produce enough power to safely cook some products. Banquet pot pies, for example, now include a warning that the product shouldn't be cooked in microwaves with less than 1,100 watts output.

Kathy Barges, another Hy-Vee shopper, says she tries to follow the directions on her Lean Cuisine meals exactly, but hadn't noticed the package's warning to adjust cooking time if she doesn't have an 1,100-watt microwave.

"I'm not sure what mine is," Barges said. "It's an expensive microwave, so I assume it's got the most wattage on it."

And if most people don't know the wattage of their home microwaves, forget the ones they might use to nuke their lunch at work. "Who's got a thermometer in their desk drawer?" Davidson said.

College student Jordan Sullivan said he regularly eats frozen pizza and pizza rolls, but never has given much thought to the safety of it.

"I just toss them in and wait till they look good," Sullivan said of the rolls, which do include raw ingredients.

While following directions helps, experts say the bottom line is that cooking raw food is still a job best left to stovetops, grills and ovens.

[kkcbs]

Wait a minute there MyOpinion1. The whole point of a microwave oven IS convenience. If food purveyors are marketing salmonella-laced chicken and telling us to cook it in a 1400-watt oven, making sure it''s cooked thoroughly and evenly, and oh, by the way, your cooking time may vary, well then I think we''re being seriously mislead. Not all of us are as fussy about what we eat as several of the posters on this article -- we bought the dam thing for a purpose, and it wasn''t for the learning experience. Give me a better product or quit flooding the market with poisonous frozen food.

[missingamerica]

Just throw a half bag of charcoal in the microwave, light it, then throw that burger on top of the microwave.

Problem solved.

[tslogg1]

How about the plastic of the frozen food that might be health hazard if it is overcooked.

[amrt5016]

I think it''s instructive to know that there are things about cooking by microwave people don''t understand: 1) The temperature in the food is not uniform, unlike the conventional way to cook where external heat is transmitted by contact and allows time for it to spread evenly. Heat produced by microwave depends on content and distribution in the food of things like water, fat, etc. so even turning the food over does not assure thorough cooking although the article implies it helps because microwaves penetrate up to an inch inside the food. 2) The temperature is also affected by the microwave''s wattage which typically is not known.

The one good advice I find in the article is the need to use a thermometer to check the food IN VARIOUS SPOTS when cooking by microwave. You''d do this anyway to make sure the chicken in the oven or on the grill is done, though probably only once. When nuking, you need to take an extra step or two.

[gangir]

People need to read two books- Forget the Cures, Find the Cause Books I and II. Both have massive information and insight into all the "NEW" health concerns reported here and elsewere. The author has been doing podcasts for the last 4 years and the books are absolutely necessary reading.

[thevicar1]

Youre supposed to CLEAN the inside of your microwave ---------------------------- Posted by txgrouch2006



Clean a cooking untensil? What a novel idea!

[txgrouch2006]

Lean over and look at the inside "ceiling" of your microwave! Where do the food particles go when you cook or reheat food?
Posted by Puzzler125 at 10:22 AM : Oct 07, 2008

Apparently nobody has taught you how to use a SPONGE.

You''re supposed to CLEAN the inside of your microwave.

Talk about stupid. And I''m SURE

[puzzler125]

Lean over and look at the inside "ceiling" of your microwave! Where do the food particles go when you cook or reheat food? That''s why covering your food is a good idea unless you keep your microwave scrupulously clean.

[displeased]

Frozen microwave chicken,yuk, food is no better than road kill,where do theses people come from ? Take a cooking lesson, before you kill yourselves.
Posted by beehive21

Agreed. It''s been over 12 years since I''ve eaten a frozen meal. Like somebody said earlier, you can make a tuna or turkey sandwich in the same amount of time it takes to cook processed craap.

[displeased]

If we would worry as much about the inept leaders of the country and the destruction of our economy as we do about microwaving a frozen dinner or the ethnicity of the next orphan child the current famous Hollywood star couple adopts, imagine how much better things in this country might actually be?
Posted by xentpro

It''s called general information. It''s unhealthy to dwell on negative information everyday. Although people should remain informed of the current global and domestic crisis, it should be acceptable to enjoy positive information or general advice too. And yes, some people are that stupid to not know what they should eat.

[beehive21-2009]

Frozen microwave chicken,yuk, food is no better than road kill,where do theses people come from ? Take a cooking lesson, before you kill yourselves.

[txgrouch2006]

are we so stupid in general that this kind of story is necessary?
Posted by xentpro at 04:51 AM : Oct 07, 2008

Yes. I worked as a public school teacher for a while. As far as the general population is concerned, YES, they are that stupid.

[osiod9]

What is really silly/stupid is the authors ASSumption that anyone stupid enough to NEED to read this article, actually could/would.

[myopinion1]

Ok, number one, the "dangers" of microwaving sounds ominous and really not a good title. Anyone could have come up with something better. "Thorough Microwave Cooking Imperative to Food Safety" or any other numerous titles that actually reflect the fluffy story inside.

Also, why in the name of god is anyone eating those disgusting pre-packaged horrors? Ever try COOKING something and making a bit more to take? How about some tuna salad with low fat mayo? How about some lean lunch meat on whole wheat? How about ANYTHING other than those rubbery tasting boxes of salt with something resembling meat in them? I don''t want to hear about "convenience" and "time" when it comes to eating. If you cared enough, you''d find the time. Frozen dinners are called lazy, period.

[andor3]

pizza rolls do not include raw ingredients! what a silly article.

[yongamerica]

9/11 9/11 of frozen foods terror alert.