Microwaves are known due to their ability to heat food quickly and conveniently which is due to which they are used in kitchens, yet their safety is a question. Such issues as the effects of Microwaves radiation on health, effect of microwaving on nutrient content of foods, and explosion problems of some materials that can be microwaved. This paper aims at focusing on the debate regarding the safety or otherwise of microwave appliances by analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of argumentative evidence based on scientific research and agencies’ reports.
In this regard, there are couple of points that have been considered to justify the safety of microwave ovens and one of the strongest legal arguments that we have is that health agencies regulate the use of microwave ovens. The microwave ovens are manufactured to avoid radiation exposure, and the radiations are non-ionizing thus do not change the atom or the cell structure (U. S. Food and Drug Administration, 2020). This makes microwaves inherently safer than ionizing radiation sources for example the X-rays. There is no leakage to the users of radiation as long as the appliance is properly working, and even when it is in use, the radiation disappears as soon as the appliance is power off.

According to diet, it is also important to note that microwaving does not reduce the nutrients’ value of cooked foods than other normal cooking methods. In a study that was done by Zhang and Hamauzu the Journal of food science revealed that microwaving retain nutrient better than boiling since it takes lesser time than boiling and it also does not require water most of the times. Nutrition & Food Science also had a study that highlighted that microwave cooking sometimes provides improved nutrient preservation in relation to the frying or boiling methods; something what depends on the food type and cooking period (George et al., 2015). Microwaves are also energy efficient. According to the research done by US department of energy, microwave ovens use less energy than conventional oven as they heat the food directly without heating the air or the body of the oven. This efficiency makes microwaves a reasonable and less destructive equipment in day-by-day cooking.

However, there are still issues that come into people’s mind each time they hear of microwave use. A concern that is regularly brought up is permanent contamination, or rather the issue of leakage from poorly maintained or damaged wave microwaves. Microwaves produced today leak only very slight levels of radiation; however, if the seals and other components of the microwave have worn out and other parts are damaged, they may occasionally emit small amounts of radiation International Journal of Radiation Oncology: Kaufman et al., 2003. However, these levels occur at levels that are normally considered negligible and hence the need to ensure the appliances are well maintained to avoid exposure. There is also the issue of uneven heating. Microwaves cook food through a process that involves stimulating the water molecules and this makes portions that have a lot of water such as raw meat to be undercooked or contain ‘hot spots. A survey conducted by USDA demonstrated that microwaving is uniform heating irregular and therefore dangerous for foods that at least need to be reheated enough to get rid of bacteria such as Salmonella or E. coli (U. S. Department of Agriculture, 2013).

An important issue more is safety that relates to the release of certain chemicals from some plastics into foods during microwave heating. Food items which are reheated in plastic containments through microwave exposure were shown to contain BPA and phthalates according to Environmental Health Perspectives journal as noted by Talsness et al. in 2009. Some of these chemicals cause hormonal imbalances, among other adverse health consequences. That is why it is possible to use microwave safe containers that are not able to release any dangerous substances in the process of microwaving.
There is still controversy on the impact of microwaving as to nutrient quality. The article by Bouzari et al. published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition revealed that the microwaving has negative effects such as leading to nutrient loss such as water-soluble vitamin but actually retain more nutrients when compared to boiling which results in leaching of nutrients in the water (Bouzari et al., 2015).

Compared to other cooking methods, microwaving does not take very long to cook the food which in return does not allow for the breakdown of vitamins and nutrient sensitive to heat.
In conclusion, it could be said that microwave ovens are rather safe appliances provided that they are used properly. A global organization like the FDA and WHO share the same opinion and suggest that Microwave Ovens are pretty safe for use when operated under manufacturer recommended instructions (World Health Organization, 2005). It is therefore possible to reduce or alleviate fear of exposure to radiation or toxic chemical by observing minor precaution like, using a ceramic plate instead of plastic or a glass plate when reheating food in the microwave oven, regular washing of the oven and avoiding place delicate items on the oven. In addition, it has been proven that microwaving is as destructive to the nutrient content of foods as other methods of cooking and in some cases may be even beneficial in preserving nutrients.
Finally, microwave ovens are safe to be used at home, as long as the proper ways of using them are followed. The possible problems such as leaks of radiation, presence of hazardous chemicals, and loss of nutrients are still “real”, but these threats are not uncontrollable. Microwave ovens are safe to use, and many people that use them can testify to the fact, they are efficient in use also, because it saves energy when cooking. Thus, with the endorsement of regulatory authorities like the FDA and WHO microwave ovens can be deemed as a safe kitchen appliance.

References

A. Bouzari, D. Holstege and D. M. Barrett, Latest results on SU(3) flavour symmetry breaking in hyperonic stars, Journal of Physics: Conference Series 561 (1), 012038, 2015. Mineral, fiber, and total phenolic retention in eight fruits and vegetables: Refrigerated storage and refrigerator compared with frozen storage and refrigerator. Available from: 10.1080/1 4942699.2014.920543 Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 55, 451–466. https://doi. org/10. 1080/10408398. 2012.

George, R. M., Kamath, M. V. & Sukumaran, M. (2015). A comparison of the effect of microwave cooking on the nutritional value of common vegetables. CFPP, Department of Nutrition & Food Science, p. 989–1000. https://doi. org/10. 1108/NFS-07–2015–0080

N. Kaufman, Z. R. Kaufman, & D. W. Brown., (2003). Accumulated radiation emission from older models of microwave ovens. Ibid 57(4): 1067– 1071.International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics. https://doi. org/10. 1016/S0360–3016(03)00762–4

Talsness, C. E.; Andrade, A. J. M.; Kuriyama, S. N.; Taylor, J. A.; Vom Saal, F. S. Components of plastic: Animals experiments and aplicability to human health. Environ Health Perpect 117(9): 1340–1346. https://doi. org/10. 1289/ehp. 0901142

United States Department of Agriculture abbreviated to USDA is the federal executive department responsible for food and agriculture. (2013). Acid rinse chart food safe minimum internal temperature chart. https://www. fsis. usda. gov
Department of energy: United States of America. (2021). Tips: Microwave oven cooking. https://www. energy. gov/energysaver/microwave-ovens

U. S. Food and Drug Administration The. (2020). Microwave ovens and health. https://www. fda. gov/radiation-emitting-products4o