Released April 24, 2008

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Using a microwave oven to heat up a snack sounds simple enough, but U.S. Department of Agriculture food safety specialists reminded that doing so can put children at risk.

A child must, for example, be old enough to know how to read and understand directions and tall enough to comfortably reach and remove hot, cooked food items from a microwave oven.

Additional tips from the USDA can reduce risks in the kitchen:

• Pierce hot dogs with a fork before placing them in a microwave-safe

dish to keep them from exploding during cooking. Reheat hot dogs until they are hot and steaming.

• Stir and rotate food and liquids midway through cooking in a

microwave oven. Foods and liquids heat unevenly, so if not stirred, harmful bacteria can survive in cold spots.

• Cover a dish of food for microwaving with a lid or plastic wrap

(wrapped loosely to allow steam to escape). Moist heat will destroy harmful bacteria that may be present.

• Use potholders to prevent burns when removing food from a microwave

oven. Uncover food away from your face to allow steam to escape.

• Use glass or other containers labeled "made for microwave use." In

a microwave, metal pans may cause arcing - and sparks to fly. Metal or aluminum foil containers, which also can get too hot and burn, are not recommended. Neither are one-time-use containers (a margarine tub, for example) that may warp, melt or release chemicals that may mix with food.

• Discard leftover and perishable foods left at room temperature for

longer than two hours or one hour in air temperatures of more than 90 degrees.

More information about food and food safety is available at county and district K-State Research and Extension offices and on Extension Web sites: http://www.oznet.ksu.edu and http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/foodsafety.

-30-

http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/news/

Contact: Mary Lou Peter-Blecha, mlpeter@ksu.edu