Back in the U.S.S.R. Popcorn is only a small part of the microwave story. In the e-Alert "Thinking Outside the Bag" (5/16/06), I told you about some of the potential health dangers associated with microwave popcorn. An HSI member named Thomas responded with this e-mail: "A number of years ago, my job required that I read a lot about technology in the Soviet Union. I had the occasion to read many reports done by the Soviets in the area of microwaves. Their studies concluded that microwave radiation changed the molecular structure of food, making it unsafe to eat. Do any of your panel members have any insight on this?" The short answer is: yes. The long answer might change your microwave habits. When I asked HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., about microwave cooking, and the Soviet research in particular, he told me that an issue of "Health & Healing Wisdom" reported that Soviet research on the neurological effects of microwaved foods prompted a ban on all microwave apparatus in 1976. The ban was lifted in the 1980s after the fall of Communism. This reversal was prompted by the political changes of perestroika - not as the result of any new evidence that found microwaves to be safe. Dr. Spreen: "What studies exist are all bad news for microwaving - they universally describe some type of damage. One study showed breakdown of vitamin B-12 to inactive degradation products in microwaved foods. "There's also a problem with release of potentially toxic molecules into the food from packaging designed to help brown food during microwaving. This includes items such as pizza, French fries, waffles, popcorn and breaded fish - and these findings were determined by the FDA!" An important microwave study was almost suppressed before publication. Dr. Spreen: "Two Swiss researchers sequestered subjects under close scrutiny and blood tested them after randomly eating food that was either microwaved or conventionally cooked. They found all sorts of potentially nasty stuff: - blood hemoglobin levels decreased significantly after ingesting microwaved foods, both total levels and the amount contained in each red blood cell
- white blood cell levels tended to increase for no other reason than foods were microwaved
- microwaves altered protein molecules
- LDL cholesterol increased relative to HDL cholesterol.
"The Swiss researchers were immediately sued by the 'Swiss Association of Dealers for Electroapparatuses for Households and Industry,' and one of the authors was convicted by the Swiss Federal Court of 'interfering with commerce.' The fine was the equivalent of $65,000." The Swiss decision was later reversed by the European Court of Human Rights." We'll finish up with two microwave notes from HSI Panelist Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., C.N.S. In a Members Alert we sent you a few years ago, Dr. Gittleman outlined her concerns about microwave cooking. Her primary objection to using microwaves is their tendency to heat foods unevenly, indicating that some of the food is not sufficiently heated to kill all the bacteria or parasites that might be present. This uneven heating also creates hot spots in food that may release synthetic estrogens found in certain plastics. But even when using only glass (Pyrex) containers, Dr. Gittleman feels that low levels of radiation escaping from the ovens may be harmful, and cautions against standing in front of a microwave unit while it's in use. Sources:
"Russians Ban Microwave Ovens" Stephanie Relfe, Health, Wealth & Happiness, relfe.com | 
