ABSTRACT
The electric field of microwaves is responsible for the dielectric heating, which is effected via two primary mechanisms: dipolar polarization and ionic conduction. The dipolar polarization mechanism is the primary principle of microwave dielectric heating, which involves the heating of electrically insulating materials by dielectric loss. In a typical microwave oven, the core of the equipment is a magnetron, which converts electrical current to microwaves, which are then channeled into the cooking chamber using a waveguide. The lack of an external source of heat during microwave heating generally leads to a lack of browning, because the surface of food does not heat as much as in a traditional oven or during radiative heating in a grill. Browning can be achieved in some cases by cooking the food in contact with a material that absorbs microwaves and heats, with the food in direct contact with the hot surface then heating by conduction.
