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Microwaving energy has been used in this
country to cook and heat since early
experiments with RADAR. Microwaves
themselves are in fact present in the
atmosphere all the time - both naturally
and from manmade sources. Manmade
microwaves include radar, radio and
television waves, telecommunication links
and car phones. If you follow our basic
recommendations and keep your oven
clean, then it will be completely safe.
Many years ago it was discovered that one
of the effects of microwaves is to make
water molecules VIBRATE very quickly.
Because all foods contain water to a
greater or lesser extent, they can quickly
be heated by the friction caused by this
vibration.
Your microwave oven converts electricity
into microwaves in the magnetron.
Microwaves are REFLECTED off metal, so
they bounce off the walls and the metal
door screen, back onto the food.
They contain no heat themselves and pass
through the cooking container i.e. are
transmitted, to be ABSORBED by the
water molecules, as well as sugar and fat
particles in the food.
Microwaves can only penetrate to a depth
of 1
1
/
2
-2 inches (4-5 cm) and as heat
spreads through the food by conduction,
just as in a traditional oven, i.e. the food
cooks from the outside inwards.
When a microwave oven is switched off, the
food will continue to cook by this conduction -
NOT BY MICROWAVE ENERGY. Hence
STANDING TIME is very important in
microwaving, particularly for dense foods
i.e. meat and cakes and reheated meals.
The dish used to cook or reheat the food
will get warm during cooking, as the heat
conducts from the food. Even in
microwaving, oven gloves are required!
MICROWAVES CANNOT PASS
THROUGH METAL AND THEREFORE
METAL COOKING UTENSILS CAN
NEVER BE USED ON MICROWAVE
ONLY.
Foods Not Suitable for Cooking by
Microwave
Yorkshire Puddings,
Souffles,
Double Crust Pastry Pies
Because these foods rely on dry external
heat to cook correctly, do not attempt to
cook by microwave.
Eggs boiled in their shells should not be
cooked by microwave as they will explode.
Foods that require deep fat frying cannot
be cooked either.
ACCESSORIES TO USE
Always use the glass tray when using
MICROWAVE power only.
DO NOT use any other METAL accessory
- this can cause arcing and may damage
your oven. (For Combination programs the
metal tray is used).
Microwaving Principles
Absorption
Microwave
Vibration
Water Molecule
