Microwave Ovens
A microwave is a useful appliance to have in the kitchen. It makes many cooking tasks faster and more convenient. However, the microwave has never truly made it past its supporting role to the regular oven and stove. It’s magnetron blasts food with energy to get the molecules moving, forming heat. But in the process, it dries food out and heats unevenly. Microwave ovens have been in kitchens since the 1950’s, and most people still only use them for reheating leftovers and preparing popcorn. Surely this kind of appliance can be improved?
Solid State Radio Frequency Ovens
Goji Food Solutions claims to have a new solid state radio frequency oven design that will revolutionize modern cooking. Instead of using microwaves, it uses solid state radio frequencies (RF) to cook food. They state that the energy waves are more precise and controlled, allowing for more variability in how each type of food cooks.
The Goji RF oven would allow you to cook an entire meal at once, even if there are different types of foods involved. Sensors read the thickness, moisture, and composition of the meal and send specific beams set to cook each. It controls the frequency, phase, and amplitude of the radio waves. The appliance can tell where the meat is and direct certain kinds of energy waves towards that, while sending other waves to the vegetables.
President of the company, Yuval Ben-Haim, has discussed this technique. The appliance re-scans the food every few seconds and makes adjustments when needed. Examples that the RF oven can handle include rising cakes, defrosting meat, and drying fruit. Ben-Haim claims that, “Beyond cutting cooking time significantly for a wide range of dishes, this method results in tastier and healthier food by cooking it more evenly.” Faster cooking times are proven to keep the nutrients and moisture in our food intact.
The Origins of RF Ovens
Would you believe that the beginnings of Goji’s new radio frequency oven began with organ transplants? Researchers in the mid-2000’s were looking for a better way to defrost organs that had been moved for transplants. It’s very important that the organ is thawed evenly and quickly to minimize damage.
Ben-Haim and his company sought to broaden the application of this technology, and found it to be a difficult challenge. The biggest problem was transitioning the technology from a lab to mass production. They have had working RF ovens for years, but only recently were able to spread them to consumers.
The Future of RF Ovens
The first units will cost around $5000, which is similar to high-end conventional ovens. Most of the early models will probably end up in commercial use for restaurants, schools, etc. However, Goji aims to reduce the price and eventually spread the product into homes around the world. Ben-Haim envisions great things for the invention, believing it will be “used in restaurants, coffee shops, even vending machines to cook fresh and healthy food quickly. Imagine having your croissant freshly baked for you while you pay.”
The ability for RF ovens to carefully control the cooking process should allow for a great amount of user control. Imagine using your smart phone to keep track of how your roast, vegetables, and dinner rolls are doing in the oven! Radio frequency heating could have future uses in other appliances as well, such as clothes dryers.
Will these new radio frequency ovens be the next big thing? Will everyone have one in their kitchen within the next few decades? If they can be sold for the price of a microwave and cook food quickly and evenly, there’s a good chance we’ll be seeing them soon!
Still stuck with a regular old microwave oven? Check out Complete Protection’s guide for microwave oven preventative maintenance to keep yours running smoothly and efficiently while you wait for RF ovens to spread in popularity.
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