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microwave heating categories
Your microwave has been tested and labelled to meet the UK government’s voluntary agreement on
the reheating of pre-cooked food.
The heating characteristics and output power levels of microwaves are usually calculated using a
relatively large portion of food (1000 gram load, IEC 60705) but many packs of pre-cooked food are
sold in smaller packs, often about 350 grams.
The UK government, in partnership with food companies and microwave manufacturers, has set up
a system of heating categories to help you choose the reheating time for pre-cooked food.
The category (a letter from A to E), is designed to help you reheat small quantities of food such as
microwave ready meals.
The label given above and also on the oven door gives the heating category and output power of
the oven.
Microwave ready meals weighing up to 500g (1lb 2oz) should have cooking instructions for heating
categories A to E. Follow the instructions for the letter that corresponds to the heating category of
the oven.
The higher the output power and heating category of the oven the less heating time is required. This
is shown in the diagrams below:
oven output power
Less heating time required
600 700 800 900 1000 Watts
More heating time required
oven output category
Less heating time required
A B C D E
More heating time required
900W
E
900W is the output power of the microwave. (IEC 60705)
E is the heating category for your microwave.
Check the cooking times for category E on the food’s
packaging to see how long it should be cooked.
Start cooking at the lowest recommended time, and add more time if necessary. The
moisture content of food can vary, ensure food is cooked thoroughly all the way to the
centre before serving.
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