Health risks and dangers of using microwave ovens

[-G]

Health risks and dangers of using microwaves for food preparation:

Can microwaves leak radiation ?
Old or faulty door seals are the most common causes of microwave radiation
leakage. Mechanical abuse, a build up of dirt, or simple wear and tear of
continued use can cause door seals to be less effective.

Plastic containers considered safe for holding foods at room temperature
may not necessarily be suitable for use in a microwave oven. The high cooking
temperatures may cause the plastic’s chemistry to break down and thereby
contaminate food in the container.

It is recommended that only plastic
containers or wraps clearly designated for microwave oven use by the
manufacturer be used.

[dhanarajesh1]

yes you are right microwave food preparation is risk for job and it will not so tasty too

[nicklz]

I just read that if you have pre-1970's ceramics that you should only use it decoratively and not for hot foods because it might contain lead especially if it's chipped in any way. Also if the finish is beginning to wear and it shows greyish through the glaze it's probably got lead in it. However old lead glass is fine to use. It won't release contaminants into your food.

I do have a few sets of old dishware that are heirlooms and I still use them only on special occasions, but the newest stuff I have was cheap cheap cheap and after all the lead scares from the orient I'm not using it like I was before. There's some American made Corelle up in the attic somewhere and I'm going to use that since it's lighter and I know it's safe. Corning is now making their dishes overseas (damn them!) so I won't buy their new ones.

-G, do you know if there's any simple ways to test microwave doors to see if they're sealing okay? I heard from a guy that works at a power plant that as long as you're 15 inches away from a unit and wait a few seconds after it completely shuts off they're safe. They don't use the same type radiation that people think of as nuclear, but there's safety precautions to use regardless. My microwave is about 20 years old now. It's very low wattaged.