Microwave ovens have been a kitchen staple for decades, allowing you to cook everything from frozen vegetables to packaged meals in minutes. But while you zap your food, you may wonder how close you can safely stand next to a microwave, and whether any radiation could escape from the device and potentially harm you.
Do you really need to worry about this? The short answer is, not really. Injuries from microwave radiation are very rare, according to the US Food and Drug Administration. However, there are certain precautions you can take to keep yourself safe when using a microwave oven.
Microwaves are a type of electromagnetic radiation, or waves of energy that move through space, according to the FDA. Electromagnetic radiation takes different forms, including radio waves, visible light, X-rays and gamma-rays.
Microwaves, like radio waves, are a type of of "non-ionizing radiation," meaning they don't have enough energy to knock electrons out of atoms, the FDA says. Microwaves are therefore not known to damage DNA inside cells, according to the American Cancer Society.
In contrast, X-rays and gamma-rays are classified as "ionizing radiation," a type that does have enough energy to remove electrons from atoms and can damage cells and DNA.
Even though microwaves don't pose the same health risks as X-rays, that doesn't mean they are risk-free. Microwaves heat food by causing water molecules to vibrate, which produces heat. In theory, microwaves can heat body tissues in the same way they heat food, and at high levels, microwaves can cause burns and cataracts, according to the FDA. But these types of injuries are very rare and have generally occurred when people are exposed to large amounts of radiation leaking through openings in the oven, such as gaps in the seal, the FDA says.
What's more, the FDA requires microwaves to be designed in a certain way to prevent these types of radiation leaks. For example, the FDA requires that microwave ovens have two interlock systems that halt the production of microwaves the moment the door is opened. And the agency requires that these ovens have a monitoring system that stops the device from operating if one of the interlock systems fail.
As a result, there is "little cause for concern" about excess microwaves leaking out from your oven, unless there is damage to the door hinge, latch or seal, the FDA says.
Still, the agency recommends that you check your microwave oven carefully and do not use it if the door doesn't close properly, or if it is "bent, warped, or otherwise damaged." As an added precaution, the FDA recommends that you don't lean or stand directly against a microwave oven for long periods while it's operating.
站在微波炉前会被辐射吗？
几十年来，微波炉一直是厨房的主要设备，你可以在几分钟内煮好冷冻蔬菜及袋装饭菜等所有食物。但是当你用微波炉加热食物的时候，你可能会想知道站在微波炉旁边多远才安全，以及设备是否会泄漏一些辐射并伤害到你。
你真的需要担心这个吗？简短的答案是，并不需要。美国食品和药物管理局（FDA）称，微波辐射造成的伤害非常罕见。不过，使用微波炉时，你可以采取一些预防措施来保证自己的安全。
FDA称，微波是一种电磁辐射，即在空间中移动的能量波。电磁辐射具有不同的形式，包括无线电波、可见光、X射线和伽马射线。
FDA称，和无线电波一样，微波是一种“非电离辐射”，这意味着微波不具有足以撞击电子使其脱离原子的能量。因此，美国癌症学会表示，并不认为微波会破坏细胞内的DNA。
相比之下，X射线和伽马射线则被列为“电离辐射”，这种类型的辐射确实具有足以使电子脱离原子的能量，并且能够损害细胞和DNA。
尽管微波不会与X射线一样对健康构成风险，但这并不意味着它们毫无风险。微波通过引起水分子振动从而产生热量来加热食物。据FDA称，理论上，微波会以与加热食物相同的方式使人体组织受热，而且在严重的情况下，可能导致烫伤和白内障。但是，FDA认为，这两种类型的伤害非常罕见，并且通常发生在人们接触到透过微波炉的开口（比如密封条的裂口）泄漏大量辐射的时候。
此外，FDA还要求微波炉的设计能够防止这类辐射泄漏。例如，FDA要求微波炉有两个连锁装置，当微波炉的门被打开时，这个系统就会停止微波的产生。该机构要求微波炉设置监控系统，如果其中一个连锁系统出现故障，该设备就会停止运行。
FDA称，除非微波炉的门铰链、门锁或密封条存在损坏，否则对于微波炉会泄漏过量微波几乎“不存在值得担心的理由”。
尽管如此，FDA还是建议你仔细检查你的微波炉，如果门不能正常关闭，或者发生了“弯曲、歪斜或其他损坏”的话，就不要使用。作为一项额外的预防措施，FDA建议你在微波炉工作时不要长时间地直接贴靠或直接站在微波炉前面。