Analysis of Stray EM Fields Generated by Induction Cooktops

Induction cooking units work by generating a radio frequency (RF) magnetic field for heating purposes. Concerns have been expressed from time to time about whether induction cookers may present a health hazard to humans. The first paper, “Analysis of Stray EM Fields Generated by Induction Cooktops”, authored by Marco Bullo, Fabrizio Dughiero and Elisabetta Sieni of Padova University, Italy, aims to evaluate possible biological effects to the human body due to an RF magnetic field emitted by the induction cooktop. The measurement results of several models of cooktops have shown that most of the induction cooktops do comply with the exposure limits given in the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) standard. The results have also shown that the emitted field is much lower if the pot is centered at the cooktop, as the pot bottom serves as a shield that blocks the magnetic field from the induction coil. For the users of induction cooking units, you will pick up some useful tips to minimize the exposure risk.