Rice is a much loved staple of diets across the globe. It is filling and satisfying to add to almost any meal that needs a tasty side grain. But, if you happened to cook way too much for your last dinner, you may be wondering if it’s safe to store in your refrigerator?
If you are careful with the way you handle and store your rice, it is unlikely that you will get food poisoning from day-old rice. If you get food poisoning from day-old rice it is probably the result of cross-contamination rather than spoiled rice. In this case, the sickness is not directly related to the age of the rice. But, the most important part of storing your rice is that you get the cooked rice into the refrigerator as quickly as possible. The quicker you do the fewer potential bacteria will develop.
Bacteria on grains is actually fairly common and is usually one of the common causes of food illnesses. There is no reason to be afraid though. There are plenty of ways to prevent this contamination. Let’s find out the best ways to store rice to keep us healthy and safe.
Can Day Old Rice Give You Food Poisoning?
Day-old rice may in fact give you food poisoning, but it is unlikely. Mainly, the causes of food poisoning on rice are the result of poor food handling practices and cross-contamination. But, rice also commonly holds certain bacteria that can be passed on and incubated on poorly stored rice. You can prevent this bacteria from becoming widespread by safely storing your rice for a couple of days and avoiding reheating it too many times.
Rice is a common carrier of Bacillus cereus, a bacteria spore that tends to stay on rice. This bacteria is relatively harmless while the rice is dry and after cooking. However, the cooking process does not kill the bacteria. When you allow the rice to sit out for longer than an hour after cooking it, it can cause the bacteria to incubate.
If these bacteria incubate on the rice it can lead to a colony and make you very sick. When you warm the rice up after cooking it, you can cause this bacteria to incubate even further. The moisture on cooked rice also makes an ideal breeding ground for this bacteria. This is why it is so important to only keep cooked rice for about 3 days and reheat it only once.
Safe Food Handling Practices
In conjunction with the steps advised above, there are several other steps to take in order to prevent food poisoning with rice. One of the main causes of food poisoning (regardless of food type, but definitely true for rice) is cross-contamination.
What is cross-contamination? Cross-contamination occurs when you touch one food item with either another food and/or contaminated surface. Let’s say you are cooking your rice while also cooking raw meat. And, you thoughtlessly use the same spatula to stir the cooked rice that you just used on raw meat? The rice is now contaminated with potentially harmful bacteria from the raw meat.
If you then eat this rice you may get sick afterward due to the bacteria from the meat. This can also occur if you rest your rice on a dirty surface. Common culprits are unclean countertops. If you use your counter to chop vegetables or raw meat, make sure you thoroughly clean it with a powerful agent and then wipe it down with hot water.
A powerful cleaning agent (such as bleach) will kill the bacteria. The hot water will then remove the bleach residue so this does not get into your food either. It is just as easy to cross-contaminate your food with cleaning agents as it is for dirty surfaces.
How Can You Tell If Rice Is Spoiled?
There are several signs that can indicate spoilage in your rice. But, the main signs to look out for are oily texture, slimy texture, or a pungent smell. These indicate that the rice has started to either rot, become moldy, and likely has dangerous bacteria on it. Some other common signs to look out for are black spots or discoloration. These can indicate mold growth on your rice. If you see or smell any of these things, throw the rice away.
Often when rice is beginning to go bad it produces a slimy residue that you will likely see accumulating on the container. This is the starch from the rice turning rancid and creating a slimy film. This can cause food poisoning or at least stomach discomfort.
The rancid scent of bad rice has a slightly vinegar-like quality. Imagine the scent of cooked rice, but with an undertone of vinegar. This is what you will expect when smelling bad rice. The cause of this scent is the fermenting of the rice as the bacteria break down the rice.
The discoloration is caused as the rice ages and begins to grow mold. The color will usually be a pinkish color, especially in white rice. For brown rice, the discoloration may be a little more complicated to spot. But, the best way to spot it is if you notice certain grains are darker than other grains of rice. This is true for other colored rice as well, such as black or wild rice.
How Long Can I Keep Cooked Rice In the Fridge?
Cooked rice has a fairly short shelf life once it is cooked. Cooked rice should not be kept any longer than a week. But, if you want to be extra careful, it is best to only keep it for up to three days. After three days the flavors of the rice begin to diminish to be replaced by the flavors of rot and fermentation. The length of time you store your rice does depend upon the temperature of your fridge. If it is colder it may be able to last a little longer.
If you want to prevent food poisoning from your rice, make sure you store your rice within an hour of cooking it. Refrigeration helps to slow down the development of bacteria on your rice. This will not kill or prevent bacteria but it will help to prevent it from spreading. If your rice sits for more than 4 hours you should throw it away.
If your refrigerator is warmer than the average fridge, you should only keep your rice for three days. Some factors which can impact the temperature of your refrigerator include a broken gasket and an overcrowded fridge. Be extra careful when storing your food if you notice these factors. If your fridge is a steady colder temperature (but above freezing) then you might be able to keep your rice for a week.
If you are panicking because you miscalculated how much rice to make, do not worry. You can try to freeze your excess rice in the freezer for a couple of months. Freezing rice is fairly straightforward and does not require much prep work.
To begin, after you have finished cooking your rice, allow it an hour to cool off. But, do not allow it more than an hour to cool in order to prevent the development of bacteria. Once it is fully cooked, start to scoop the rice into freezer-safe zipper sealed bags.
Do not fill the bag any more than ¾ of the way. This will prevent the rice from being difficult to remove from the bag after it has frozen. Stick them in your freezer with a date written on the outside and keep them safely for up to 3 months.