Microwaving M&Ms produces sparks

Microwaving M&Ms produces sparks - A Lit Flare Light On Hand

Last week I microwaved some peanut butter M&Ms for 40 seconds, which is something I've done hundreds of times before to melt the chocolate on the inside. However, when I did it this time, there was some popping and then a big spark inside. There was no metal in the microwave, the bowl is microwave safe, but it did have a chip in it. I also left the M&Ms uncovered, while I usually cover them with a paper towel. Any idea what caused this? Someone elsewhere suggested this paper might be an explanation but I would think it would have happened before if that was the case.



Best Answer

Off the top of my head I would say the sparking and popping is unexpected: usually a significant of water content would need to be present for this kind of behavior, as water conducts electricity and everything else not so much. There is water in peanut butter, but it is around 1-2% and is emulsified with fat, and that should reduce the conductivity substantially. But, the voltages inside a microwave oven are quite high and could force a conductive path through the emulsion to cause sparking.

My best guess is that whoever makes M&Ms (can't remember now) changed their peanut butter formulation and used slightly more water. It is batch specific?




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Why does my microwave make sparks?

Microwaves are absorbed by fat and sugar in foods. If metal is put into the appliance, the microwaves cause the electrons to move around, producing sparks and heat. Sparks occur simply due to a build-up of charged particles which produce a concentrated electric field at the edge of the metal object.

Can you microwave M and Ms?

Set the microwave to 30 seconds. This should be enough for a regular package of M&M's, but you might need a few more seconds, depending on the microwave and the quantity of M&M's. The first few times you do this, it will be a matter of trial and error to find your perfect melting time.



Microwaving Grapes Makes Plasma




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