Some Common Myths Thought to be True - Myth 27
Myth 27: Microwave Ovens Heat from the inside-out
While microwave radiation does penetrate the surface of food and start to heat
the inside at roughly the same time as the surface, it's not necessarily
accurate to say the food is cooked from the inside out. Microwaves heat food by
being absorbed primarily by liquid water molecules, and to a lesser extent fats
and some sugars, imparting energy to them in the form of heat.
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If a food is of uniform consistency
and high in water content, most of the microwave energy will be absorbed by the
water near the surface before it gets into the center of the food, and the food
will heat from the outside in, as with traditional ovens. On the other hand, if
the surface of the food is drier than the center, as with bread or a baked
potato, the center will heat up faster. You can see this clearly if you
microwave foods with a dry outer crust and a moist filling, like a McDonald's
apple pie. If you cook it for about 20 seconds in a typical oven, you'll find
that the crust is fairly cool to warm, while the filling can be quite hot.
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