Why milk cannot be heated in the microwave: is it true that it is harmful

The debate about whether it is possible to heat milk in the microwave does not subside almost from the very moment of its creation in the distant 40s of the 20th century. On the Internet, these discussions thrive solely on people completely ignorant of the science and design of a particular device. Although sometimes scientists are strongly impressed by such an active propaganda of the harm of microwave.

Microwave Myths

Until now, even after a huge number of studies and tests, the results of which have been officially certified, colorful misconceptions about radiation, mutations and, at best, the futility of food after such processing are incredibly popular and widespread. And this is only a small part of the myths about the microwave.

There is still an opinion that any heat treatment is harmful to food, so there is no need to cook or heat it. In the latter, of course, there is some truth, but only a fraction. Some substances are destroyed by heat treatment, but this does not make the products “useless”.

How the oven actually works

The main aspect that is causing concern among housewives is the very principle of microwaves. After all, a microwave oven does not heat products convectively, i.e., from hot air or dishes to cold food when they come in contact. At the heart of the microwave is a more complex process that you need to understand before you sound the alarm and throw the unit out of the house.

If you do not go into details that are easy to find in any physics textbook, microwave radiation makes the water molecules themselves (and not only) move faster, as a result of which the products heat up. And in this movement there is nothing unnatural, respectively, it can not fundamentally change the properties of food, and, especially, the structure of water. In any case, no more than heat treatment in any other way. But radiation is not at all out of the question - she simply has nowhere to take from there.

How to warm milk

Experts at purityis.decorexpro.com/en/ recommend using a microwave oven to heat liquids, as well as to prepare other types of products - it's safe. But before you heat the milk, you should familiarize yourself with the instructions for the microwave oven: in most cases, there will be recommendations on what power and time it is better to choose, so as not to overheat it, so that it does not “run away”.

General recommendations:

1. Before you heat the milk, be sure to read the instructions for a specific microwave. This will help to avoid boiling trouble.
2. Milk should be heated only in glass or ceramic dishes.
3. The exposure time should not exceed one minute.
4. In no case should the dishes be covered with a lid. It is possible to heat milk and other liquids in the microwave only in open containers.
5. It is strongly not recommended to heat milk and other liquids in a plastic bowl. Even specifically designed for the microwave.
6. It is worth remembering that liquids are heated in a microwave oven faster than other products. Therefore, they need more caution.
7. If milk has been frozen, then it can no longer be frozen. And before heating, it is worth letting it thaw either on its own at room temperature, or on the longest / special defrost mode, if there is one in the microwave model.
8. It is recommended that you heat any liquid in the microwave only once. This will help maintain a vivid taste of the product.

As for breast milk, it is not necessary to warm it in the microwave.But not at all because microwave radiation is harmful, but because it is desirable to completely exclude any temperature effects on it, except for natural ones. Then and only then we will talk about its undoubted benefit and safety for the child.

As a result, most of the so-called "facts" that speak of the dangers of a microwave oven are contrived and replicated by the Internet and the media. And they have no evidence and research. And the latter were not few in almost 70 years of the existence of microwave ovens; finding results is not difficult, and all of them testify to the safety of the device.