Putting leftover rice in the fridge is something that most of us do without thinking. A common thing to do is make a lot of food, preserve some of it, and then heat it up for lunch or dinner the next day. Even if it’s in the fridge, most people don’t know that leftover rice might be deadly.
Rice can get bacteria on it, and just because it smells bad or has mold on it doesn’t mean it’s not safe to eat. What do you think is the biggest problem? Bacillus cereus is a type of bacteria that can survive frying.
When the rice is cooked, the Bacillus cereus spores that are in the uncooked grains can handle the heat.
These spores can grow quickly if the rice is left out for a long period before being put in the fridge or if it doesn’t cool down quickly enough. Worse, warming them up doesn’t affect the chemicals they create. This means that microwaving your rice might not make it safe to eat.
Most of the time, Bacillus cereus food poisoning makes you feel sick, throw up, and have diarrhea. Nausea commonly starts one to five hours after eating poor rice. It normally isn’t deadly, but it can be very bad, especially for kids, the elderly, and people with weak immune systems.
What can you do to be safe, then?
- Quickly cool the rice: After it’s done cooking, don’t let it remain at room temperature for more than an hour. Put it on a tray or in a shallow container before putting it in the fridge. This will help it chill down faster.
2.Store it right: Put the rice in sealed containers in the coldest part of the fridge. Don’t leave it out in the open or near the fridge door, where the temperature could change.
3.Don’t keep it for too long. You should eat cooked rice within a day or two, even if you store it carefully. Then get rid of it; it’s better to be safe.
4.Only heat rice up once. If you heat it up more than once, bacteria are more likely to develop. Make sure the food is hot (at least 165°F or 74°C) and only heat the part you want to consume.
5.Listen to your intuition, but don’t get too hot. Rice may look and smell delicious, but that doesn’t guarantee it’s safe. Bacillus cereus generates poisons that don’t taste or smell terrible.
There is no hidden safety box in the fridge. It keeps germs from growing, but not completely, and it can’t restore damage that has already been done. It’s just as important to treat food before placing it in the fridge as it is to store it.
Even though it looks safe, you now know that leftover rice is one of the most risky items for safety in most homes. So, the next time you’re about to hide that bowl of rice, keep these things in mind: Cool it down right away, store it safely, and never take a chance.
