Have we posted a warning about this? Superheating water in microwave with explosion

[Marg CDN]

as a result because the water appears not to boil?

Anyway, here is the warning if we have not alerady posted this.

There's an email circulating (in French) about it but I always check another source for hoaxes. Seems this one is not.

http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/consumer/erupted.html

 

[curious1]

Marg, this has happened to me with a Pyrex 2-qt. container. I was heating water to make iced tea,

it just wouldn't come to the boil. I reached in to give it a stir and the water just erupted violently and was all over the microwave. I wasn't badly burned because I was using a long handled wooden spoon and had good reflexes back then, lol. After that, I always made sure any water was well stirred before I microwave it. It is my understanding that water that is aerated won't do this, but it's still good to be cautious.

 

[michael-in-phoenix]

This happened to me with a 2 cup pyrex. Water just erupted!!

 

[randi]

it's happened to me too, I just didn't want to be the first to admit to it "-))

 

[wildwoods]

yikes! i'll stick with my kettle. thanks marg, i hadn't heard about that.

 

[sandy-in-baltimore]

Re: How to boil water in a microwave

When boiling water in a microwave, place a wooden stick or a similar non-smooth, non-metallic object in the container. Water, when microwaved, can sometimes become superheated -- that is, it's actually above 212 degrees Fahrenheit. This is caused by a lack of bubbles forming (as opposed to the tremendous number of bubbles when boiling on a stove). If superheated water is removed from a microwave, it can spontaneously begin to boil out of the container, which can result in severe burns to the hands and face. The addition of a wooden stick (or similar object) helps to keep enough bubbles forming to prevent the water from becoming superheated.

 

[georgiarose]

Thanks for the tip Sandy!