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( Microwave oven)
A microwave oven, or a microwave, is a kitchen appliance that cooks or heats food by dielectric heating. This is accomplished by using microwave radiation to heat water and other polarized molecules within the food. This excitation is fairly uniform, leading to food being adequately heated throughout (except in thick objects), a feature not seen in any other heating technique. Microwave ovens heat food quickly, efficiently, and safely, but do not brown or bake food in the way conventional ovens do. This makes them unsuitable for cooking certain foods, or to achieve certain effects. Microwaving food raises several safety issues, largely connected with leakage of microwave radiation outside the oven, as well as reducing risks, such as that of fire from high temperature heat sources. There has been some concern that microwaves might damage food (microwave radiation has sounded alarming to some), but the dominant view is that microwaved food is as safe to eat as other food. Because microwaving typically produces fewer browning and charring products which often contain carcinogens, microwaved foods may have advantages over broiled, fried, or grilled foods. Microwave ovens have revolutionized food preparation since their use became widespread in the 1970s and 80s.[citation needed] Microwave ovens have become a standard item in many developed world homes. Cooking food with microwaves was discovered by Percy Spencer while he was building magnetrons for radar sets with the company Raytheon. He was working on an active radar set when he noticed that a peanut chocolate bar he had in his pocket started to melt. The radar had melted his candy bar with microwaves. The first food to be deliberately cooked with Spencer's microwave was popcorn, and the second was an egg, which exploded in the face of one of the experimenters.[1] To verify his theory, Spencer created a high density electromagnetic field by feeding microwave power into a metal box which it had no way to escape. When food was placed in the box with the microwave energy, the temperature of the food rose rapidly.
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