Most people own a microwave. Microwaves are convenient for heating up food and beverages, and can even be used to cook them.
The microwave don’ts, and foods that shouldn’t be heated in the microwave could show us that we’ve been using them wrong all along. They could be even more dangerous if you heat the wrong foods.
Reheating potatoes after they have been cooked can cause ingestion of dangerous bacteria
It’s safe to microwave certain potatoes when they are fresh. However, this is not true for pre-cooked potatoes. You may want to reconsider your plans if you planned on microwaving leftovers. After potatoes are cooked and cooled, they can produce a type of bacteria known as Clostridium Botulinum.
Microwaving potatoes will not get rid of the bacteria that could cause botulism, a potentially deadly illness. You can reheat potatoes in an oven, but you should check each case individually, depending on the way the potatoes were initially cooked and cooled.
Food poisoning can occur when rice is heated in the microwave
Did you know rice contains Bacillus cereus spores? The bacteria can be found on raw rice, but is largely removed by cooking rice in boiling water. It’s best to use a rice steamer or a pan with boiling water to cook the rice.
This bacteria can live on cooked rice that is kept at room temperature. If you plan to reheat some rice in the microwavable at a future date, it is vital that you cool it down in the fridge within one hour after it has been cooked. This will help to prevent food poisoning.
Eggs that are boiled in a microwave can explode
Many people prefer to cook eggs in the microwavable because it is quicker and easier. There could be a downside. The radio waves are absorbed by the egg when you cook boiled eggs in a microwave. The steam will then try to escape the egg.
You may find that the egg explodes faster than it cooks due to its hard shell. You can cook your eggs in a pot of boiling water. It’s safe to cook other types of eggs like scrambled in the microwave.
