Food Safety: It’s up to us now
Posted on: May 18, 2009
As my 1100 watt microwave heats up my WeightWatchers SmartOnes Fettucini Alfredo with tasty “hand-cut” pieces of broccoli, I can’t help but to wonder how long I should actually microwave it. The instructions are based on a 1200 watt microwave. But unfortunately it’s my problem to figure this out. If I’m wrong I risk bacterial contamination.
Some might say that’s the price of convenience. Others will charge that large processed food producers should be more responsible about tracing their ingredients, testing their cooking instructions, and informing consumers of risks to eating these products. What’s shocking is that the New York Times reported that:
[A]ttempts by The New York Times to follow the directions on several brands of frozen meals, including ConAgra’s Banquet pot pies, failed to achieve the required 165-degree temperature. Some spots in the pies heated to only 140 degrees even as parts of the crust were burnt.
A ConAgra consumer hotline operator said the claims by microwave-oven manufacturers about their wattage power could not be trusted, and that any pies not heated enough should not be eaten. “We definitely want it to reach that 165-degree temperature,” she said. “It’s a safety issue.”
In 2007, the U.S.D.A.’s inspection of the ConAgra plant in Missouri found records that showed some of ConAgra’s own testing of its directions failed to achieve “an adequate lethality” in several products, including its Chicken Fried Beef Steak dinner. Even 18 minutes in a large conventional oven brought the pudding in a Kid Cuisine Chicken Breast Nuggets meal to only 142 degrees, the federal agency found.
So, now I’m not supposed to believe my owner’s manual that says my microwave is actually 1100 watts? Isn’t that illegal? I’ve always been on board the personal responsibility bandwagon, which argues that people should be responsible for what they eat. Yet, it’s disturbing that food producers are selling products that are “unpalatable” when properly cooked.
I don’t buy it. My instructions tell me to microwave for 2.5 minutes, stir, and heat for another minute (both on high). I heated for 2.5 minutes, stirred, heated for 1.5 minutes, stirred, and heated for another minute. What the heck does Heinz think they’re selling me? A dream in a box? It cost less than $3 and allows me to prolong cutting up 4 melons until later tonight. The broccoli never tastes as good as fresh broccoli, so what’s so (un)palatable?
The product is a solution to a time-related or convenience-related problem. It’s not a solution for good nutrition or excellent eating habits. Why can’t they just print the instructions for a few common wattage microwaves and tell me how to cook it so it doesn’t have harmful bacteria. If it tastes crappy it’s just a reminder that I’m eating pre-prepared food out of a plastic tray that I bought in a box and nuked for several minutes. It’s not exactly fine dining, nor is it supposed to be.
So, it appears that I have been partially wrong. Producers could do more to help me be responsible. Consumers could be smarter too (that’ll be the day). Either way, I’m going to continue to sorta-enjoy my overcooked pasta-in-a-box that I eat 2-3 times a month if I’m unlucky.
Cognitive Coup 
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