Application of Microwaves to Agricultural Techniques and to the Transformation of Agricultural Food Products.

After recalling the characteristics of microwaves, the article describes their effects on different materials (especially on water) which are heated under the effect of microwaves. Several possibilities of utilizing this heating effect for agricultural techniques and food product processing are discussed. This is particularly the stimulation of germination of hard seeds, sterilization of soils affected by pathogenic fungi, treatment of animal fats, structural modification of curdled milk in the formation of cheese, disinfestation of granaries or commodities in general, production of soluble fruit powders, etc. Some aspects of each process are discussed.