Food Cooking by Microwave-Excited Plasmoid in Air Atmosphere

This paper presents a cooking technique by a microwave-excited plasmoid ("fireball") in air atmosphere. The stable plasmoid is generated by localized microwaves from a solid or liquid substrate (e.g. salty water). Preliminary experiments yield relatively rapid cooking of meet chunks within such plasmoids. Their flavour and taste could be affected to some extent by the origin substrate content. A major concern stems, however, from the hazardous effect of nanoparticles generated by the plasmoid, and by their possible toxicity in contact with the food items. Thus, another approach is considered, in which the plasmoid serves as a means to convert microwave energy to heat, whereas the latter is provided indirectly by heat conduction to the food items. This technique can be combined with direct microwave heating, as a hybrid microwave-plasmoid cooking within the same chamber. Preliminary experimental schemes and results are presented and discussed.