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INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT SAFETY
• Check foods to see that they are cooked to the United
States Department of Agriculture's recommended
temperatures.
TEMP
160˚F
For fresh pork, ground meat, boneless
white poultry, fish, seafood, egg dishes and
frozen prepared food.
165˚F
For leftover, ready-to-reheat refrigerated,
and deli and carry-out "fresh" food.
170˚F
White meat of poultry.
180˚F
Dark meat of poultry.
To test for doneness, insert a meat thermometer in a
thick or dense area away from fat or bone. Never leave
the thermometer in the food during cooking, unless it is
approved for microwave oven use.
• ALWAYS use potholders to prevent burns when han-
dling utensils that are in contact with hot food. Enough
heat from the food can transfer through utensils to
cause skin burns.
• Avoid steam burns by directing steam away from the
face and hands. Slowly lift the farthest edge of a dish's
covering and carefully open popcorn and oven cooking
bags away from the face.
• Stay near the oven while it's in use and check cook-
ing progress frequently so that there is no chance of
overcooking food.
• NEVER use the cavity for storing cookbooks or other
items.
• Select, store and handle food carefully to preserve
its high quality and minimize the spread of foodborne
bacteria.
• Keep waveguide cover clean. Food residue can cause
arcing and/or fires.
• Use care when removing items from the oven so that
the utensil, your clothes or accessories do not touch
the safety door latches.
ABOUT MICROWAVE COOKING
• Arrange food carefully. Place thickest areas towards
outside of dish.
• Watch cooking time. Cook for the shortest amount of
time indicated and add more as needed. Food severely
overcooked can smoke or ignite.
• Cover foods while cooking. Check recipe or cookbook
for suggestions: paper towels, wax paper, microwave
FOOD
plastic wrap or a lid. Covers prevent spattering and
help foods to cook evenly.
• Shield with small flat pieces of aluminum foil any thin
areas of meat or poultry to prevent overcooking before
dense, thick areas are cooked thoroughly.
• Stir foods from outside to center of dish once or twice
during cooking, if possible.
• Turn foods over once during microwaving to speed
cooking of such foods as chicken and hamburgers.
Large items like roasts must be turned over at least
once.
• Rearrange foods such as meatballs halfway through
cooking both from top to bottom and from the center
of the dish to the outside.
• Add standing time. Remove food from oven and stir,
if possible. Cover for standing time which allows the
food to finish cooking without overcooking.
• Check for doneness. Look for signs indicating that
cooking temperatures have been reached.
Doneness signs include:
- Food steams throughout, not just at edge.
- Center bottom of dish is very hot to the touch.
- Poultry thigh joints move easily.
- Meat and poultry show no pinkness.
- Fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
ABOUT CHILDREN AND
THE MICROWAVE
Children below the age of 7 should use the microwave
oven with a supervising person very near to them.
Between the ages of 7 and 12, the supervising person
should be in the same room.
The child must be able to reach the oven comfortably; if
not, he/she should stand on a sturdy stool.
At no time should anyone be allowed to lean or swing
on the oven door.
Children should be taught all safety precautions: use
potholders, remove coverings carefully, pay special
attention to packages that crisp food because they may
be extra hot.
Don't assume that because a child has mastered one
cooking skill he/she can cook everything.
Children need to learn that the microwave oven is not a
toy. See pages 25 for Child Lock feature.
E 7
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