Editing Microwave oven (section)

=== Direct microwave exposure ===
{{Further|Microwave burn|Microwave#Effects on health}}
Direct microwave exposure is not generally possible, as microwaves emitted by the source in a microwave oven are confined in the oven by the material out of which the oven is constructed. Furthermore, ovens are equipped with redundant safety interlocks, which remove power from the magnetron if the door is opened. This safety mechanism is required by United States federal regulations.<ref>[http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2012-title21-vol8/pdf/CFR-2012-title21-vol8-sec1030-10.pdf 21 C.F.R. 1030.10] Retrieved August 12, 2014.</ref> Tests have shown confinement of the microwaves in commercially available ovens to be so nearly universal as to make routine testing unnecessary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arpansa.gov.au/RadiationProtection/Factsheets/is_Microwave.cfm#6|title=Radiation Emissions from Microwave ovens: How safe are Microwave Ovens?|publisher=[[ARPANSA]]|access-date=March 5, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306112844/http://www.arpansa.gov.au/RadiationProtection/Factsheets/is_Microwave.cfm#6|archive-date=March 6, 2009}}</ref> According to the [[United States Food and Drug Administration]]'s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, a U.S. Federal Standard limits the amount of microwaves that can leak from an oven throughout its lifetime to 5 milliwatts of microwave radiation per square centimeter at approximately {{nowrap|5 cm}} (2&nbsp;in) from the surface of the oven.<ref>{{cite web|title=Microwave Oven Radiation: Microwave Oven Safety Standard|url=https://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittingProductsandProcedures/HomeBusinessandEntertainment/ucm142616.htm#4|publisher=U.S. [[Food and Drug Administration]]|access-date=February 16, 2009|date=January 13, 2010}}</ref> This is far below the exposure level currently considered to be harmful to human health.<ref>{{cite web|title=Advanced Measurements of Microwave Oven Leakage|url=http://www.arpansa.gov.au/pubs/emr/microwave.pdf|year=2004|publisher=[[ARPANSA]]|access-date=January 8, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110124131856/http://www.arpansa.gov.au/pubs/emr/microwave.pdf|archive-date=January 24, 2011}}</ref>

The radiation produced by a microwave oven is non-ionizing. It therefore does not have the cancer risks associated with [[ionizing radiation]] such as [[X-ray]]s and [[radioactive decay|high-energy particles]]. Long-term [[rodent studies]] to assess cancer risk have so far failed to identify any carcinogenicity from {{nowrap|2.45 GHz}} microwave radiation even with chronic exposure levels (i.e. large fraction of life span) far larger than humans are likely to encounter from any leaking ovens.<ref>{{cite journal | doi= 10.2307/3579874 | last1= Frei | first1= MR | last2= Jauchem | first2= JR | last3= Dusch | first3= SJ | last4= Merritt | first4= JH | last5= Berger | first5= RE | last6= Stedham | first6= MA | title= Chronic, low-level (1.0 W/kg) exposure of mice prone to mammary cancer to 2450 MHz microwaves | journal= Radiation Research | volume= 150 | issue= 5 | pages= 568–76 | year= 1998 | pmid= 9806599 | jstor= 3579874 | bibcode= 1998RadR..150..568F }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1= Frei | first1= MR | last2= Berger | first2= RE | last3= Dusch | first3= SJ | last4= Guel | first4= V | last5= Jauchem | first5= JR | last6= Merritt | first6= JH | last7= Stedham | first7= MA | title= Chronic exposure of cancer-prone mice to low-level 2450 MHz radiofrequency radiation | journal= Bioelectromagnetics | volume= 19 | issue= 1 | pages= 20–31 | year= 1998 | pmid= 9453703 | doi= 10.1002/(SICI)1521-186X(1998)19:1<20::AID-BEM2>3.0.CO;2-6 }}</ref> However, with the oven door open, the radiation may cause damage by heating. Microwave ovens are sold with a protective [[interlock]] so that it cannot be run when the door is open or improperly latched.

Microwaves generated in microwave ovens cease to exist once the electrical power is turned off. They do not remain in the food when the power is turned off, any more than light from an electric lamp remains in the walls and furnishings of a room when the lamp is turned off. They do not make the food or the oven radioactive. In contrast with conventional cooking, the nutritional content of some foods may be altered differently, but generally in a positive way by preserving more [[micronutrient]]s – [[#Effects on food and nutrients|see above]]. There is no indication of detrimental health issues associated with microwaved food.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.arpansa.gov.au/radiationprotection/factsheets/is_microwave.cfm#safe |title=ARPANSA - Microwave Ovens and Health<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=March 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306112844/http://www.arpansa.gov.au/RadiationProtection/Factsheets/is_Microwave.cfm#safe |archive-date=March 6, 2009  }}</ref>

There are, however, a few cases where people have been exposed to direct microwave radiation, either from appliance malfunction or deliberate action.<ref name="childinjury">{{cite book|last=Frost|first=Joe L.|title=Children and Injuries|publisher=Lawyers & Judges Publishing|page=593|isbn= 978-0-913875-96-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pHXdUbiRiA8C&q=microwave+injury&pg=PA87|access-date=January 29, 2011|date=September 30, 2001}}</ref><ref name="handbelechaz">{{cite book |last1=Geddesm |first1=Leslie Alexander |last2=Roeder |first2=Rebecca A. |isbn=978-0-913875-44-5 |title=Handbook of electrical hazards and accidents |pages=369ff |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pb4lUnSsMa0C&q=microwave+injury&pg=PA370 |publisher=Lawyers & Judges Publishing |year=2006}}</ref> This exposure generally results in physical burns to the body, as human tissue, particularly the outer fat and muscle layers, has a similar composition to some foods that are typically cooked in microwave ovens and so experiences similar dielectric heating effects when exposed to microwave electromagnetic radiation.