Information You Need To Know
About safety
•Check foods to see that they are cooked to the United States Department of Agriculture’s recom- mended temperatures.
Temp | Food |
160˚F | For fresh pork, ground meat, bone- |
| less white poultry, fish, seafood, egg |
| dishes and frozen prepared food. |
165˚F | For leftover, |
| ated, and deli and |
| food. |
170˚F | White meat of poultry. |
180˚F | Dark meat of poultry. |
•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 cooking 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 pre- serve its high quality and minimize the spread of foodborne bacteria.
•Keep waveguide cover clean. Food residue can cause arcing and/or fires.
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 use.
•ALWAYS use potholders to prevent burns when handling utensils that are in contact with hot food. Enough heat from the food can transfer through utensils to cause skin burns.
•Use care when removing items from the oven so that the utensil, your clothes or accessories do not touch the safety door latches.
•Keep aluminum foil used for shielding at least 1 inch away from walls, ceiling and door.
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 comfort- ably; 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 page 24 for Child Lock feature.
E
