Food Myths Debunked! - September is National Food Safety Education Month.

There are some “mythbuster” in American homes and therefore, some research is done to prove the “mythbuster” is 

debunked!

•MYTH #1: “If I microwave food, the microwaves kill the bacteria, so the food is safe.”
• MYTH #2: “Of course I wash all bagged lettuce and greens because it might make me sick if I don’t.”
• MYTH #3: “I don’t need to use a food thermometer. I can tell when my food is cooked by looking at it or checking the temperature with my finger.”
• MYTH #4: “I can’t re-freeze foods after I have thawed them – I have to cook them or throw them away.”

My research is based on MYTH#1: “If I microwave food, the microwaves kill the bacteria, so the food is safe.”

Microwave can kill bacteria in a microwave but the specific amount of time it will take; the food will taste like cardboard which means it is safe but not good to eat.

Also, researches show that microwave needs water to absorb the energy from the microwave. The virus doesn’t receive enough microwave energy to cause an effect, much less destroy the virus since it is in an open container. The food is not heated thoroughly but unevenly which leave some bacteria in the food. Additionally, bacteria may die but spores and toxin are resistant to heat and one specific temperature will kill certain bacteria while another will not kill the same bacteria.

A good example is pasteurized milk, 65 centigrade for 30 seconds is sufficient to kill 99.999% of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Coxiella burnetii that might be present. Some bacteria will still be in the milk and will not be considered sterile.

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Disclosure: No monetary compensation was received, all opinions are my own.