Microwaves are very practical for reheating dishes or defrosting them. But, they should not be used anyhow. In order to avoid any health risk, there are rules to follow when heating a dish in the microwave. And more particularly, a very common error is to be absolutely avoided.

According to the National Food Safety Agency (ANSES), a dish should not be reheated without covering it. However, a lot of people crack open Tupperware put in the microwave or put uncovered plates inside the device. Thus, they endanger their health.

In a press release on domestic hygiene, ANSES explains that “reheating in a microwave oven, if it is too short, does not ensure a uniform temperature throughout the food, it does not allow , in this case, the sanitization achieved by reheating in a saucepan. It is therefore recommended to reheat food in a covered container until steam escapes.” In other words, without a lid, bacteria can survive in places in your dish.

In addition, the addition of the lid creates condensation, which does not dry out the reheated food. Finally, covering the dish avoids having to clean food splashes on the walls of the appliance. It is therefore healthier and more pleasant to use lids when using your microwave.