Cooking method
Microwaving
Heating by dielectric loss in polar molecules, so energy is deposited through the volume rather than conducted inward from a hot surface.
What conditions it creates
-
Microwaving operates in the volumetric / dielectric regime.
Reasonable evidence
- Evidence type
- textbook statement
- Confidence
- high
- Sources
- Comparison of Traditional and Novel Drying Techniques and Its Effect on Quality of Fruits, Vegetables and Aromatic Herbs (Foods 9(9):1261) 2.2.1 (Microwave Drying), Drying Techniques in Fruits, Vegetable, and Herbs Preservation authoritative
-
Microwaving has absolute dependence on equipment.
Reasonable evidence
- Evidence type
- textbook statement
- Confidence
- high
- Sources
- Comparison of Traditional and Novel Drying Techniques and Its Effect on Quality of Fruits, Vegetables and Aromatic Herbs (Foods 9(9):1261) 2.2.1 (Microwave Drying), Drying Techniques in Fruits, Vegetable, and Herbs Preservation authoritative
-
Microwaving holds food in dry, evaporative conditions.
Reasonable evidence
- Evidence type
- textbook statement
- Confidence
- high
- Sources
- Comparison of Traditional and Novel Drying Techniques and Its Effect on Quality of Fruits, Vegetables and Aromatic Herbs (Foods 9(9):1261) 2.2.1 (Microwave Drying), Drying Techniques in Fruits, Vegetable, and Herbs Preservation authoritative
How the heat gets in
-
Microwaving deposits its heat throughout the food.
Reasonable evidence
- Evidence type
- textbook statement
- Confidence
- high
- Sources
- Comparison of Traditional and Novel Drying Techniques and Its Effect on Quality of Fruits, Vegetables and Aromatic Herbs (Foods 9(9):1261) 2.2.1 (Microwave Drying), Drying Techniques in Fruits, Vegetable, and Herbs Preservation authoritative
-
Microwaving heats very rapidly.
Reasonable evidence
- Evidence type
- textbook statement
- Confidence
- high
- Sources
- Comparison of Traditional and Novel Drying Techniques and Its Effect on Quality of Fruits, Vegetables and Aromatic Herbs (Foods 9(9):1261) 2.2.1 (Microwave Drying), Drying Techniques in Fruits, Vegetable, and Herbs Preservation authoritative
-
Microwaving transfers heat by dielectric heating.
Reasonable evidence
- Evidence type
- textbook statement
- Confidence
- high
- Sources
- Comparison of Traditional and Novel Drying Techniques and Its Effect on Quality of Fruits, Vegetables and Aromatic Herbs (Foods 9(9):1261) 2.2.1 (Microwave Drying), Drying Techniques in Fruits, Vegetable, and Herbs Preservation authoritative
Why it works
-
Microwaving is governed by water activity.
Reasonable evidence
- Evidence type
- textbook statement
- Confidence
- high
- Sources
- Comparison of Traditional and Novel Drying Techniques and Its Effect on Quality of Fruits, Vegetables and Aromatic Herbs (Foods 9(9):1261) 2.2.1 (Microwave Drying), Drying Techniques in Fruits, Vegetable, and Herbs Preservation authoritative
-
Microwaving is governed by evaporation.
Reasonable evidence
- Evidence type
- textbook statement
- Confidence
- high
- Sources
- Comparison of Traditional and Novel Drying Techniques and Its Effect on Quality of Fruits, Vegetables and Aromatic Herbs (Foods 9(9):1261) 2.2.1 (Microwave Drying), Drying Techniques in Fruits, Vegetable, and Herbs Preservation authoritative
-
Microwaving is governed by surface-to-core temperature gradient.
Reasonable evidence
- Evidence type
- controlled experiment
- Confidence
- medium
- Sources
What holds it back
-
Microwaving is limited by heat penetration.
Reasonable evidence
- Evidence type
- controlled experiment
- Confidence
- medium
- Sources
How it compares with baking
| Compared on | Microwaving | Baking |
|---|---|---|
| Regime | volumetric / dielectric | dry heat, high surface temperature, evaporative |
| Heat arrives by | dielectric heating | conduction, natural convection |
| Heats most at | throughout the food | at the surface |
| Moisture | dry, evaporative | dry, evaporative |
| Rate | very rapidly | as the temperature gradient allows |
| Needs equipment | absolute | strong |
Not compared: Gradient. FoodHQ has a published value for only one of the two, and a half-filled row would read as a difference it has not established.