With outbreaks of E. coli 0157:H7 in frozen foods such as Jeno’s and Totino’s Pizza, the safety of microwave cooking has been intensely questioned and studied in order to provide safer products in the future. Many organizations in the food industry have developed programs to address risks associated with microwavable foods, and the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) released a series of presentations discussing the risks.
Microwave ovens are inherently flawed in that they do not always evenly heat and cook foods, which allow for hot and cold spots within cooked food. Not only are there variances in temperature, but not evenly cooking the product can result in the failure to inactivate pathogens (including E. coli O157:H7) in the food that may cause disease.
The presentations address a variety of areas that affect uneven heating:
- Non-uniform distribution of dipolar molecules and ionic materials within the food.
- Differences in microwave absorption of frozen/thawed areas.
- Product/component edge heating effects.
- Areas of high and low microwave field strength within the oven cavity and product.
- Different food component and thermal properties.
We support all efforts to make food safe. It is important to note, however, that consumers are not at fault for E. coli poisoning. It is the responsibility of manufacturers and others to provide food that is free of dangerous pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7.
Published by E. coli Lawyer.
Subscribe RSS
