Well I know what I’ll not being with food. We’ve existed for a very long time without microwave ovens.
Microwave radiation belongs in deep space. The end.
Bacon in the microwave
HyperHorse
(Marcus)
#24
Fiorella
#25
@larry, I’m not convinced the use of plastics and other related compounds are safe for consumption.
I had a dog when I was a young child. We discovered something odd about Teflon coated pans, with the help of the dog. The handle broke off the new Teflon pan, and instead of throwing it away, we gave it a second life as a food dish for the dog. However, to our surprise, the dog refused to eat food from it. The dog was able to detect something wrong with the pan’s coating.
Luckily, after seeing that, my family tossed every Teflon coated pan we owned in the garbage, and later in life as I grew up, I never purchased Teflon coated anything. I also stayed clear away from other bizarro films and coatings.
Later on, I learned of reports on how Teflon is not a safe compound for cooking. Also other reports on BPA and so on.
Glass, ceramic, cast iron, stainless steel…these are the materials I cook with. Everything else I am very weary of. Unfortunately, lots of food I buy is wrapped in plastics…so, whatever I can do to minimize the exposure, I do it.
Scatter
#26
Oh Yeah…THAT guy is convincing. I’ll pick him over Harvard ACTUAL scientists.
Anyone who knows ANYONE in the Military knows that EVERY base is festooned with microwaves…in the mess halls, in housing, in training camps. Yet this clown asserts that the military had to cease the use of microwaves because soldiers were getting sick. Does he cite his source? No. Why? He’s full of crap, as anyone who has ever been in the military knows.
Then he asserts that microwaving reduces any food heated in it to the nutritional level of cardboard, and insists it turns all food toxic. Studies cited? Zero. Those who have studied and contradict this clown? Harvard, among many, many others who have actually DONE the testing.
If this guy is a Dr. He must be a proctologist, because he is full of s–t.
larry
(Larry Lustig)
#27
My response was about microwave ovens, not the use of plastics which is a completely separate issue.
That said, I’m not sure what the story of your dog is meant to illustrate. Are you suggesting that the dog rejected the teflon bowl because it believed the teflon had carcinogenic properties? Or that anything a dog doesn’t want to use as an eating surface is harmful to humans? I mean, the dog didn’t like the pan, but I’m not sure how that should be taken as an indication that there were health risks with the material.
I also cook exclusively in cast iron, enamel, and ceramic. I have no interest in non-stick cookware, largely because it produces poor results, but also because it’s often true (or used to be) that the surface flakes and you wind up actually eating the plastic coating – which is certainly not the intent.
Scatter
#28
Yup…no one should microwave in plastics. That doesn’t say a thing about microwaves. It says everything about plastics. You shouldn’t bake in plastics either. Does that mean ovens are bad?
Fiorella
#29
Well, of course the dog is not an ISO 17025 compliant laboratory analysis. 
I’ve worked in many laboratories, and amongst the sophisticated analyzers, I don’t recall ever seeing dogs.
Luckily, in my youth, the experience formed what I think was a healthy caution for plastics, films, coatings…etc…which had the ability to bleed diluents and other compounds in food.
I’m glad I’ve kept exposure to plastics and other related material as low as I can…and will continue to do so.
I don’t believe microwave ovens are bad, though. My only concern is that it increases use of materials that leach compounds into foods. Sous vide seems to work at a lower temperature, and possibly less concerning (???..I don’t know). But, when I see someone take a very hot container of plastic out of the microwave, or remove very hot plastic film touching the top of the food, I’m a bit concerned. That’s all.
HyperHorse
(Marcus)
#30
Get over yourself. Just because microwave ovens are accessible in a military facility doesn’t mean everyone is using them for everything on a consistent basis. They’re just there for “convenience”.
richard
(Richard Morris)
#32
This guy doesn’t understand how microwaves work.
It’s just light at a frequency that vibrates dipole molecules (such as water, fatty acids, sugars) through a process called dielectric heating which causes them to collide with other molecules causing the brownian motion that describes heat.
It’s not mysterious death rays, killing the “goodness” or … what did he call it … oh yeah “Food value”. That’s a statement without useful content.
Heating food in specific plastics however is something altogether different.
Personally I try to always use glass or ceramic in microwaves, or plastics designed to be microwaved. Problem solved. No “food value” destroyed.
larry
(Larry Lustig)
#33
No, it means that the arguments you cited are false and so clearly false and easily determined to be false that one is forced to conclude that they are not simply mistaken but deceitful.
larry
(Larry Lustig)
#34
But:
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Also not settled science.
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My understanding is that the issue here would be the effect of heat on the plastic, not the microwaves per se. Is that correct?
Michal_Ciechan
(Michal Ciechan)
#37
This is not an answer to your exact question, but for ages I was looking for the easiest way to cook bacon mess free. I tried microwave but didn’t enjoy the results, and definitely got tired of cleaning all surfaces after frying :-(. I eat bacon anywhere between 3-7 times a weeks just because I’m lazy and never any time to cook so had to find a better method rather than a pan/skillet on my hob.
I decided to buy a one of those low fat fryers (as I didn’t want to cook in our deep fry fryer as I’d imagine I would have to change the oil often when I wanna cook non bacon stuff), and I chop up my bacon, along with some mushroom and peppers or anything else I want, throw it in the low fat fryer, set to 15 minutes and come back. Sometimes it gets bunched up and the top is crispy whereas the bottom is cooked (but not crispy), but generally it is pretty good, and I’m very please with it.
Sorry if it is off topic but thought I would share my experience as bacon + eggs = my main daily food, and I’m not a fan of cooking, and even more so cleaning!
TacoRobot
(Jake P)
#38
I buy the precooked bacon from Costco. It’s a passable trade off, no mess, super fast and easy, and it’s still bacon.
I hate plastic food containers. They seem to get stained easily.
I really like these glass containers, and they are decently priced (as long as you bring them home from work).
Msims
#39
So, we do know that bacon comes is heat sealed plastic packaging right? Lots of irrational fears on plastic. Personally, I believe plastic exposure lengthens life spans. Let me just find that concocted web link to prove my point…
