Microwave heat may not affect cooking oils
It’s an interesting question because, technically speaking, it’s not unsafe to microwave oil if it contains 100% oil. Cooking oils such as sunflower oil and olive are more likely to contain water. Herein lies the problem. A microwave cannot heat 100% of the oil because it is composed of non-polar molecule.
By rotating the molecules to heat them, microwaves warm up polar molecules such as water. Nothing will happen if you only put oil in the container. As soon as water is added, you could have a problem. You’re probably better off avoiding putting any oil into the microwave.
Microwave heating can make Styrofoam packaging toxic
The majority of styrofoam containers contain microplastics, and are designed to be used only once. You could get into trouble if you attempt to warm up food served in a styrofoam box. Plastics inside the box may melt and cause it to bend or change shape. This is not the only problem this can create.
Heat up the styrofoam and it could release harmful chemicals in the microwave. It’s better to place the food in a microwave-safe container instead of heating up the container. You don’t want your burger to be ruined by toxic fumes and melted plastic.
