Reheating food in the microwave is a common practice due to its convenience and speed, but it can pose serious health risks. According to experts, this appliance does not always heat food evenly, which can compromise both nutritional value and food safety.
Carolina Quintans, nutritionist and food safety specialist, warns, in statements to the newspaper that inadequate reheating of food can lead to the degradation of nutrients, such as water-soluble vitamins (vitamin C and B complex), but highlights that “the biggest problem is related to food safety. Inadequate cooling and reheating can encourage the growth of microorganisms that produce heat-resistant toxins that lead to food poisoning.”
Furthermore, the nutritionist explains that the uneven heating, characteristic of microwaves, can leave parts of the food at inappropriate temperatures, allowing harmful microorganisms to survive. “The heat generated by waves does not always arrive uniformly, which can leave parts of the food at inappropriate temperatures, allowing harmful microorganisms to survive,” he says. She also adds that, in some cases, this process can cause food to burst, causing burns.
Lucas Felisberto, also a nutritionist and speaking to the same newspaper, reinforces that the safest method for reheating is one that guarantees uniform heat distribution, as occurs in a pan, especially when food is stirred regularly.
According to , foods that should not be reheated in the microwave include rice, which may contain the bacteria Bacillus cereuswhose heat-resistant toxins can cause food poisoning; eggs, which can harbor Salmonellaa bacteria that microwaves do not effectively eliminate; chicken, which requires uniform cooking to at least 74 ºC to avoid contamination by Salmonella; and potatoes, which, if kept out of the refrigerator for a long time, can develop Clostridium botulinumresponsible for botulism, a serious disease.
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