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In nature, some bacteria can survive in extreme conditions in some extremely hot springs, in the sub-zero ice of Antarctica, and in some areas where they are exposed to tremendous pressure from the Earth's crust. But this can also happen in some household appliances such as microwaves.
in study Published in Frontiers on August 8, researchers from the University of Valencia in Spain explored the types of bacterial communities in microwave ovens, which they found to be similar to bacteria found on human skin. The study also found that they are similar to bacteria found on kitchen surfaces. Although these bacteria are not dangerous to humans, some of them can cause harm when they are transferred to food.
bacterial groups
Many of the artificial devices used daily in our lives have their own microbial environment. Elevator buttons, small electronic devices, coffee machines and dishwashers all contain their own microbial environment, but what distinguishes the microbial environment of the microwave is its adaptation to the temperatures, radiation and dryness inside the microwave.
Microwaves work by exposing food to electromagnetic waves, which generates high temperatures that are deadly to most microorganisms, such as E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and others. However, there are other types of bacteria that can survive in these conditions.
The study highlights the importance of regular cleaning of the microwave using appropriate disinfectants to mitigate potential health risks.
According to the study, the dominant groups of bacteria observed in microwave ovens were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes.
There is no danger, but caution must be taken.
In a statement to Al Jazeera Net, Dr. Walid Bakir, professor of microbiology at the Faculty of Pharmacy at Beni Suef University, said, “These bacteria included in the study, which coexist inside microwaves, do not pose a significant threat to humans, and are not among the common microbes that cause diseases in humans, unlike dangerous epidemics that pose an imminent danger, such as cholera, diphtheria, and plague.”
Bakir adds that these bacteria living inside the microwave are “opportunistic microbes that only pose a threat to people with weak immunity, but not to all humans, especially since the adaptation of these bacteria to high temperatures and dryness may make them more hostile to humans, but they are usually not common pathogens that cause death.”
Assistant Professor of Microbiology at the Faculty of Science at Helwan University, Dr. Jihan Zaghloul, said in a statement to Al Jazeera Net that the types of bacteria included in the study are similar to the types found on human skin, and they are completely harmless and have no negative effect on human health or food.
Because they are in the microwave environment, they are exposed to a number of factors such as temperature and radiation over a number of operating times, which leads to genetic mutations that qualify them to resist these factors.
“These adaptable species can be used in other technological applications due to their ability to resist radiation and heat,” added Jihan Zaghloul. In this context, Zaghloul recommends cleaning and sterilizing microwave devices continuously and daily for the sake of human health and food safety.
Why is there so much microbial diversity inside the microwave?
In the new study, the researchers identified the bacterial composition of 30 microwaves, including household, shared, and laboratory microwaves. This helped them explore the bacterial composition of each type of microwave based on different usage patterns.
This study used the technique DNA sequencing For the next generation to identify the types of bacteria living in the microwave, which is an accurate scientific method used to identify the types of bacteria.
The results revealed that the difference in microbial composition between home and laboratory microwaves is due to the complex interaction that occurs as a result of three factors that shape the composition of bacteria inside the microwave: exposure to microwave radiation, nutritional interactions with food inside the microwave, and user habits.
Because these bacteria are adapted to the harsh nature of microwaves, they could have biotechnological applications, as they are a source of novel secondary metabolites and could be used in the biological treatment of toxic waste.
