Government issues microwave meal warning

Omaha, Neb.

Zapping frozen meals in the microwave may be fast and easy, but it also can make you sick if it's not done properly.

That message has been slow to catch on, despite a spate of illnesses last year from improperly microwaved frozen foods. On Sunday, the government issued a new warning urging consumers to thoroughly cook frozen chicken dinners after 32 people in 12 states were sickened with salmonella poisoning.

"Given how people use microwaves, it's great for reheating, but maybe not so good for cooking," said Doug Powell, scientific director of the International Food Safety Network based at Kansas State University.

The problem is that microwaves heat unevenly, and can leave cold spots in the food that harbor dangerous bacteria, such as E. coli, salmonella or listeria. So microwaving anything that includes raw meat, whether it's frozen or thawed, can cause problems.

Many people wrongly assume all frozen meals are precooked and only need to be warmed. It's a misconception fostered in part by foods prepared to appear cooked, such as chicken that has been breaded or pre-browned.

Los Angeles

Money woes blamed for slayings, suicide

An unemployed man with an advanced finance degree who was despondent over his own financial problems shot and killed his wife, three children, mother-in-law and then himself in an upscale home in a gated community, police said Monday.

Officers found the bodies Monday morning. The deaths occurred sometime after Saturday evening.

A handgun that had been bought Sept. 16 was found in the father's grasp, police said. Karthik Rajaram, 45, left two suicide notes — one for police and one for friends and relatives — and a will.

The victims were identified as Rajaram's mother-in-law, Indra Ramasesham, 69; his wife, Subasri, 39; and their sons Krishna Rajaram, 19, Ganesha, 12, and Arjuna, 7.

Rajaram formerly worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers and Sony Pictures but had been unemployed for several months.

Also

Eva Daley, 31, of Long Beach, Calif., was convicted of second-degree murder Monday for driving her teenage son and his friends to a fatal fight with a rival gang. She faces 15 years to life in prison when she is sentenced Nov. 4.

Seattle Times news services