Arab Weather - A study published in the Wall Street Journal showed that microwave ovens contain an unexpected variety of bacteria that can withstand the heat of these devices. These results were tested by researchers who examined microwave ovens and discovered a diverse ecosystem of bacteria inside them.
Microwave ovens heat food by vibrating water molecules, which produces heat that kills bacteria. But the microscopic bacteria that live on oven surfaces don't have enough water to survive the heating.
The researchers began their study out of curiosity, with researcher Manuel Burcar from the University of Valencia revealing that the team wanted to explore microwave ovens as a microbial habitat to understand what types of microorganisms are present in them regardless of the type of food.
The scientists found that home microwaves contained a large mass of microbes, while laboratory microwaves were more diverse. Among the samples collected from 30 microwaves, 747 types of bacteria were detected. Home microwaves included bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, which is found on human skin and can pose a health risk. Laboratory microwaves, on the other hand, contained bacteria that are resistant to radiation and high temperatures.
Borkar recommends cleaning the microwave regularly with soap or diluted bleach to remove germs, stressing that the microwave gets dirty like any other surface in the kitchen.
See also:
WHO: We can eradicate monkeypox in 6 months
Has the World Health Organization declared the end of the monkeypox threat?
Arabia Weather App
Download the app to receive weather notifications and more..