Do you also feel that you are not able to prepare some dishes in the kitchen just because you do not have a microwave oven at home? Or if you have one at home, do you also use it to heat up the prepared food or to heat up cold tea? But the results of the new study may force you to think twice before using your microwave.
Researchers at Darwin Bioprospecting Excellence SL, a startup in Paterna, Spain, have discovered microbes that live inside microwaves and resist radiation. According to the team, the worrying thing is that many strains can prove fatal to humans.
Previous studies have discovered many weird and wonderful microorganisms in marine oil spills, industrial brownfields and even inside the International Space Station. But until now, it was unclear what microbes might be found inside microwaves.
Scientists say that now people will have to pay special attention to the cleaning of microwave equipment. (Symbolic picture: Canva)
In their study, the team sampled microorganisms from inside a total of 30 microwaves, from 10 home kitchens, 10 cafeteria-like locations, and 10 scientific laboratories. Analysis of the samples revealed 747 species of microorganisms within 25 bacterial phyla. These strains varied significantly between locations.
Daniel Torrent, one of the authors of the study, said, ‘Some species of the genera found in domestic microwaves can pose a risk to human health. While some infect the blood, some can cause many diseases like pneumonia, kidney disease, cellulitis, meningitis, etc.
Based on the results, the researchers are urging people to deep clean their microwaves regularly. Mr Torrent said: ‘We recommend regularly disinfecting the microwave with a diluted bleach solution or a commercially available disinfectant spray. In addition, it is important to wipe down internal surfaces with a damp cloth to remove any residue after each use and clean up spills immediately to prevent bacterial growth.’
Tags: Amazing news, Bizarre news, OMG News, Weird news
FIRST PUBLISHED : August 13, 2024, 17:47 IST
