To Study the Effect of Microwave oven heating on Food Borne Pathogens

Abstract

Microwave oven heating is currently the most modern technique being used for cooking food and inactivation of pathogens present in it. Microwave oven is widely used since 1971 as compared to conventional oven,  as it reduces the time for cooking food. However, the major drawback of microwave heating is exposure of food to microwave radiation produced in microwave oven, because this reduces the nutritional value of the food and can cause skin, lungs infection on regular consumption of this radiated food to humans. This study shows the inactivation of pathogens that are artificially added to the food, when exposed to microwave radiation for 30sec, 60sec, 90sec & 120sec. Although the bacterial count in the food decreases when exposed for long duration, it simultaneously reduces the quality and nutritional level of the food by 75% as compared to tge food cooked by conventional heating. Thus, conventional heating ovens can be used for cooking as it does not affect the quality of the food and also in activates pathogens if present in food.