bag printing,Doctor warns of dangers associated with wheat b

A SPATE of serious burns in Adelaide has been linked to the use of wheat bag printing heated in microwave ovens.

Royal Adelaide Hospital burns unit director John Greenwood said several people had presented with deep burns from prolonged use of the bags decoration.

Dr Greenwood said the risk escalated for the frail and elderly or for people with conditions like diabetes who might have reduced sensations in their feet in particular.

"One patient presented with the soles of his feet deeply burned due to prolonged exposure to a wheat custom printed shopping bag that was overheated in a microwave oven," he said.

"The problem worsens as the wheat bag gets older - with older custom printed plastic bags you can sometimes actually smell the wheat burning in the microwave.

"Older custom paper bags get hotter at the same microwave temperature and retain heat for longer."

Dr Greenwood said wheat bags should be disposed of at the end of each winter with the cost of buying a new one nothing compared to the damage they could cause.