Overcooking and left overs are very common in kitchen. However, you need to know that all foods can’t be reheated. In some foods, reheating can even cause buildup of harmful bacteria in it. Rice is one of the examples where reheating can cause worse impact on the body.
Can reheating result in food poisoning?
Yes. Reheating of rice is bad. Eating reheated rice can cause food poisoning. Rice is seen to be more troublesome than other kinds of leftover foods. This because it can contain bacteria named “Bacillus cereus” in it that survive a few cooking procedures.
Uncooked rice can even contain this bacterium that can lead to food poisoning. There are chances for the spores to survive at the time of cooking the rice. If rice is kept at room temperature, then bacteria in it will multiply and produce toxins. These toxins act as poison and damaging for the body.
The longer you keep the cooked rice at room temperature, the more chances are there for the buildup of bacteria. This makes it unsafe to eat. This bacterium is responsible for causing food poisoning due to cooked rice or reheated rice.
Signs of food poisoning
If people don’t obey food safety guidelines properly, then the bacteria can breed on leftover rice. Eating such unhealthy food can make people sick. However, when you handle food correctly, then it can prevent ailments. Food poisoning causes vomiting and diarrhea about one to five hours later to its consumption. Though the symptoms are mild, but lasts for about twenty-four hours. Apart from it, there are a few more severe complications that can be seen in people.
What is the ideal way of eating rice?
To save yourself and your loved ones from the detrimental impact of reheated rice, it is important that you follow below safety instructions.
- Rice has to be eaten quickly after it is cooked.
- However, if you can’t eat it instantly, you should ensure that it cools down in a span of one hour.
- Once rice that is been cooked is kept in the refrigerator, you should no longer wait for a day before you reheat it.
- Never reheat rice more than once. Ensure that it is steaming hot before consumption.
- Don’t keep the rice in the refrigerator for more than a day until you reheat it.
- At the time of reheating it, make sure that the dish is piping hot.
Other food safety guidelines:
- Always wash your hands thoroughly prior to making and cooking it.
- Learn the proper way to cook it. Ensure that it reaches to a high temperature. Keep it away of the risk zone that falls between 40°F – 140°F. This is the temperature range when bacteria cultivate in it at a rapid rate.
- Serve it immediately after you cook it.
- Cool the leftovers fast. This is needed to lower the growth of bacteria. One of the quick ways to do it is by dividing your food into various parts, putting them in shallow bowls and then covering them with a lid.
Conclusion
It is not the reheating of rice that results into a problem, but the method in which it has been stored before you reheat it. So, by learning and implementing the right method to store and reheat the rice will help you avoid health problems.