Is it safe to stand in front of the microwave ovens while heating food?!

Arabia Weather - Microwave ovens have recently become a staple in the kitchen, allowing you to cook everything in minutes, from frozen vegetables to canned meals. But while you're heating your food in the microwave, you may wonder if it's safe to stand near it, and whether radiation can escape from the appliance and cause you harm!

According to the US Food and Drug Administration, injuries from microwave radiation are very rare, however, there are some precautions you can take to keep yourself safe when using a microwave oven.

microwaves

Microwaves are a type of electromagnetic radiation. Electromagnetic radiation takes many different forms, including radio waves, visible light, X-rays, and gamma rays.

The US Food and Drug Administration says that microwaves, like radio waves, are a type of "non-ionizing radiation ," meaning they don't have enough energy to drive electrons out of atoms. Accordingly, the American Cancer Society explained that research has not shown microwaves to damage atoms. DNA inside cells.

In contrast, X-rays and gamma rays are classified as "ionizing radiation ," a type that has enough energy to remove electrons from atoms and can damage cells and DNA.

microwave ovens

Although microwaves do not pose the same health risks as X-rays, this does not mean that they are harmless.

Microwaves heat food by causing water molecules to vibrate, which creates heat. In theory, microwaves can heat body tissues in the same way they heat food. At high levels, microwaves can cause lens burns and cataracts. eye, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

But these types of injuries are very rare and generally occur when people are exposed to large amounts of radiation leaking through openings in the oven, such as the gaps in a door seal.

Furthermore, the FDA requires that microwaves be designed in a certain way to prevent this type of radiation leakage, such that microwaves have two interconnected systems that stop producing waves as soon as the door is opened. And a monitoring system that shuts down the device if one of the locking systems fails.

As a result, there is little reason to worry about microwaves leaking from your oven, unless there is damage to the door hinge, latch or seal.

How safe is it to stand near microwave ovens while they are in operation

The Food and Drug Administration recommends that the microwave oven be checked carefully before use, and do not use it if the door is not closed properly, or if it is bent, kinked, or damaged.

As an additional precaution, the FDA recommends that you do not bend over or stand directly in front of the microwave oven for long periods of time while it is in use.