Microwave ovens are a staple in many homes. They are used to heat up food and drinks quickly, making your meal preparation faster. The issue with microwave ovens is that there has been research showing harmful effects of eating food that has been heated in a microwave oven.
There is a specific amount of radiation emitted from the microwave oven when heating food, and this emission is regulated by the government. However, what is not regulated is how much radiation leaks out of the oven.
How much leakage actually depends on the quality of the insulation inside of the microwave oven. If the insulation is poor quality, then more radiation will leak out.
This article will explain to you how to check if your microwave oven has adequate internal insulation to prevent radiation leakage.
How much radiation does a microwave leak?
Radiation leakage from microwaves is measured in MW/cm². This measurement indicates the maximum amount of microwave radiation leakage allowed by the FDA.
The FDA limit for radiation leakage is 5.0 MW/cm² which translates to 0.05 mW/cm². This is approximately 100 times lower than the average cell phone’s radiation.
The average microwave oven leaks approximately 2-3 times more than the allowed limit, which means the average microwave oven leaks around 2-3 mW/cm2. This is very small compared to other sources of radiation we are exposed to on a daily basis.
However, if you are particularly worried about your microwave oven, you can buy a device that detects radiation and measures it in terms of nW/m2. nW stands for nanowatts, which are one billionth of a watt.
What are the health concerns with microwaves?
Although the risks associated with microwave ovens are low, it is important to be aware of them. Some people believe that eating food heated in a microwave causes harmful effects, including cancer.
However, scientific studies have not found evidence of this. In fact, many studies have looked for links between cancer and the use of microwave ovens and found no connection.
Just like with any technology, it is important to understand how it works and what safety measures can be taken to reduce any potential risks.
You should know how much radiation can leak from your own microwave and how to reduce this leakage if you wish to. How do you do that? We’ll tell you! Read on to learn more about the average leakage of radiation from a microwave and how to reduce it.
5 milliwatts per square centimeter (5 mW/cm2) is the maximum allowed leakage of microwave radiation from an oven.
Are there any ways to reduce leakage?
Yes, you can opt for a microwave oven with the lower power level. The power level or wattage is how much energy the microwave emits to heat up your food.
Since lowering the wattage will reduce the time it takes to heat up your food, it also reduces the amount of time the radiation is emitted.
Thus, your food will take longer to cook completely, but you can also add more moisture to prevent dryness. This is a good way to reduce the risk of radiation exposure while using the same microwave oven.
You can also find and purchase a lower powered separate cooking device such as a low-powered rice cooker or fast cooker that has its own tray for stirring and cooling food. These are becoming more popular and common in households.
What is the maximum allowed leakage of a microwave oven?
The maximum allowed leakage of microwave radiation from a microwave oven is 5.0 mW/cm2. This is the maximum amount of radiation allowed to leak through the protective shielding of the oven.
Microwave ovens are designed in such a way that the interior of the oven is protected from direct exposure to high levels of radiation. The interior of the oven may be exposed to higher levels of radiation, but only while cooking food.
The inside of the microwave oven is made with solid walls that block radiation, and there are no holes or gaps in these walls where radiation could escape. The only place where radiation can leak is around the door opening mechanism.
The industry standard measures how much microwave energy is left in 1 square centimeter (1 square inch) of surface area after leaving the interior of an appliance.
