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permaculture - Re: Microwaved food

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  • From: kahless@waymark.net
  • To: "permaculture" <permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Microwaved food
  • Date: Fri, 8 Dec 2000 11:09:32 -0500


Not a study, but this does a good job of explaining
how microwave ovens work.

How Things Work - Microwave Ovens
Louis A. Bloomfield, Professor of Physics, The University of Virginia
http://rabi.phys.virginia.edu/HTW//microwave_ovens.html


>There have been anecdotle reports of danger to babies, a
>death attributable to microwaved blood.

I've lost the reference to the news story, but there was an
incidence where a nurse tried to warm a unit of blood by
putting it in the microwave. The patient died, as would
anyone who was given a transfusion of cooked blood. The
same thing will happen if you heat blood to a high enough
temperature with gas, electric, or solar heat. The key is
not to cook blood!! The usual procedure in warming blood
to be used medically is to put the container (bag) of blood
in a pan of warm water. The problem with using a microwave
is that it works so fast (too fast, in this case).

>If the Swiss work was on the level, I can't believe that others
>haven't stepped foward. I must say that as a formerly trained
>scientist and from the outlines of the study, it seems likely
>that the research design was really flawed but it's hard to tell
>from a fifth-hand retelling in a second language.

I did some research into this and another study (both done in
Europe) and recall that neither made any reference to the
fact that heating blood past a certain temperature made it
dangerous to the human system.

I agree with John Schinnerer who pointed out:

>As for more scientific studies - "science never proves anything,"
>to quote the late eminent scientist Gregory Bateson. Those who
>want microwaves will do studies showing they're harmless, and
>those who don't want them will do studies showing they're harmful.

Very true. My opinion on microwave cooking is "All things in
moderation". I prefer to use the solar cooker. (of course, I
also prefer charred grilled steaks, so what do I know?)

For Hugh Lovel,
When I cook cajun food, I use the microwave to make roux.
I don't use it for the seafood, since I think it tastes better
cooked slowly, but it's sure a lot easier to do roux in the
microwave.

Sam







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