How Does an Infrared Oven Heat Food?
Cooking is the art of combining food and energy to create a meal. Energy can be taken from the food, such as when you freeze cream and eggs to create ice cream, but more frequently energy is applied in the form of heat. Recently, we have begun to see infrared technology heating up our kitchens and grills with simple countertop ovens that allow shorter pre-heating times and quicker cooking. Does this Spark an idea?
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The Facts
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Heat is produced in three basic methods: conduction (direct contact, or the place a food is touching the pan), convection (immersion in heat, such as boiling pasta), and radiation (using metal elements to direct the heat, as in a toaster). The word radiation conjures images of nuclear war, but that's not how radiant heat works. Infrared heat, one form of radiant heat, is created by an electromagnetic metal coil or band, and then the heat created is directed at the food.
Infrared Oven History
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In December of 1958, Walter Forrer patented the infrared oven. The early version used reflective surfaces and two heat lamps to direct energy through Pyrex glass to the food within the oven. Forrer substantiated that the oven could be continuously used without exceeding 400 degrees Fahrenheit or burning the food within. In 1961, Bob Best of TEC patented gas infrared heaters for industrial use. Later, Best created a grill using this technology in the 1980's with even higher temperature capabilities. Infrared technology is now commonly found in high-end grills and countertop ovens, similar to microwave ovens.
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Function
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Infrared heat is created in a number of ways not commonly considered. The home toaster is a true radiant, infrared heater. Gas and electric stoves and grills have always used radiant infrared heating naturally, but Best's technology allows the energy to be harnessed and directed, thereby creating super high temperatures very quickly in a controlled space. This means that the grill won't feel as hot because none of the energy is wasted.
Considerations
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A major advantage of gas-powered infrared technology is its energy efficiency. The concentrated focus of infrared energy onto food means it's able to heat faster, thereby using less energy than other heating methods, but it also means it will burn the food faster. Anything being cooked with infrared heat must be carefully watched because burnt foods have been linked to certain types of cancer.
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References
- Photo Credit frühstück büffet, toastbrot im toaster image by Lucky Dragon from Fotolia.com
