In short, Yes, a parchment paper can go into a microwave. Parchment paper is widely used in the kitchen by most bakers. You can use parchment paper while baking cakes, bread, and cookies in the oven, since it has non-stick properties.
However, many people wonder whether it is microwaveable and safe to use it for cooking foods. Parchment paper isn’t affected by the microwave radiation because it is transparent to radiations. Though microwave radiations cannot affect parchment paper, it can be heated by the contents it is holding.
Why is Parchment Paper Transparent to Radiations of a Microwave?
Microwaves generate low energy radiations that can be observed by permanent dipoles in food substances to generate heat. Permanent dipoles are polar molecules with different electrical charges.
Water molecules are an example of permanent dipoles molecules. It has both the positive and negative poles. Microwave work by releasing low energy radiations that are absorbed by water molecules.
When the water molecules in food absorb this low energy, they start moving and vibrating, knocking and rubbing against neighboring molecules.
The friction caused by rubbing produces heat, which then spreads to other molecules of the food substance. Most of the particles and molecules of parchment paper do not have the qualities of permanent dipole molecules.
Hence, microwave radiation goes through it with little or no heating at all. This is the same case with the air inside a microwave. The air inside the microwave is not heated by the radiations but rather the contents it is holding.
Will parchment paper burn in microwave?
It is not easy to heat the parchment paper past its 420°F unless you use it for cooking fatty and oily foods. Fats and oils can easily heat beyond 420°F, and this heat may burn the parchment paper.
The boiling point of water is 212°F, and hence water-based foods can never heat beyond this point nor can they burn the parchment paper.
Is parchment Paper Safe for Cooking?
Parchment paper is basically used for baking, but you can use it for cooking too. Depending on the brand you are using, parchment paper can withstand up to 450°F.
This makes it safe to heat foods that require temperatures below 450°F. Due to silicon coating on the parchment paper, it is resistant to grease and moisture. This makes parchment paper the best for both cooking and baking purposes.
Safety Tips for Using Parchment Paper in the Microwave
While baking with parchment paper, don’t place it very close to the microwave heating element. Even if parchment paper is heat resistant, it can burn when near a heat source.
Not all papers are microwave safe. Before you put a paper into a microwave, make sure it’s labeled microwave-safe avoid any fire hazards.
Just because the parchment paper is microwave safe does not mean that recycled parchment paper is microwave-safe. So, always be careful whenever you want to use any paper in the microwave.
Final Thoughts on using parchment paper in microwave
As you can see that you can use parchment paper in the microwave without any issues, however, I recommend that you always do it with a little bit of caution.