Microwave Ovens : Microorganism Study
Microorganisms thriving in extreme environments like microwave ovens have been studied to understand their evolutionary adaptations.
- The dominant ones belonged to the Bacillus, Micrococcus and Staphylococcus genera, which commonly live on human skin and surfaces that people frequently touch.
- A few bacteria types associated with food-borne illnesses, including Klebsiella and Brevundimonas, also grew in household microwaves.
- Laboratory microwave ovens contained the greatest genetic diversity (variation in genes within a species) of bacteria.
- Microwave heating uses electromagnetic waves (300 MHz to 300 GHz) to generate heat and inactivate most microorganisms in food.
