THE FACTS

Many people rely on the microwave oven to make their food safe to eat. But it may not always do the trick.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, microwaves heat food from the outside in, not from the inside out. That can result in those all too familiar cold spots, which act as small pockets where bacteria can thrive. A number of studies have linked this phenomenon to small outbreaks of food poisoning.

Image Credit... Leif Parsons

One study, by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was published in The American Journal of Epidemiology. It looked at a salmonella outbreak after a picnic where dozens of people ate reheated roast pork. Of 30 people studied, all 10 who used a microwave oven became sick, compared with none of the 20 who used a conventional oven or skillet.