This study describes a series of experiments that tested the use of microwave pyrolysis for treating food waste. Characteristics including rise in temperature, and the three-phase products, were analyzed at different microwave power levels, after adding 5% (mass basis) metal oxides and chloride salts to the food waste. Results indicated that, the metal oxides MgO, Fe2O3 and MnO2 and the chloride salts CuCl2 and NaCl can lower the yield of bio-oil and enhance the yield of gas. Meanwhile, the metal oxides MgO and MnO2 can also lower the low heating value (LHV) of solid residues and increase the pH values of the lower layer bio-oils. However, the chloride salts CuCl2 and NaCl had the opposite effects. The optimal microwave power for treating food waste was 400 W; among the tested catalysts, CuCl2 was the best catalyst and had the largest energy ratio of production to consumption (ERPC), followed by MnO2. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.