Eating Leftover Rice Stored Improperly Could Cause Vomiting and Diarrhea; Dietician Avni Kaul Says How It Needs to be Stored
Rice boasts essential nutrients that support your body and furnish the energy needed for your daily activities. Nevertheless, consuming improperly stored or reheated leftover rice can result in digestive discomfort and the risk of foodborne illnesses, explains India’s top dietician for gastrointestinal health Avni Kaul.
Are you aware of the fried rice syndrome?
After cooking and consuming rice, any excess may be inadvertently left at room temperature for hours, or even overnight. Unfortunately, this creates an environment conducive to bacterial contamination and rapid proliferation. This occurrence is commonly referred to as the “fried rice syndrome.”
What type of bacteria is found in rice?
Bacillus cereus is one of the prevalent bacteria found in rice. This spore-forming microorganism can flourish when the rice becomes contaminated, generating toxins that have the potential to induce food poisoning.
Reheating might not work
The toxins produced by B. cereus in starchy foods exhibit heat resistance. Consequently, reheating leftover rice might not effectively eliminate the bacteria, leaving the potential for food poisoning. It is crucial to recognize that this risk isn’t exclusive to rice alone; any type of grain could harbor bacteria if not stored and reheated properly.
What is the correct way to store the leftover rice for later use?
Bacteria could undergo quick proliferation if rice remains within the temperature range of 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (4 to 60 degrees Celsius) for more than two hours. As a precaution, rice should not be left at room temperature for over two hours, and this duration should be reduced to one hour if the ambient temperature exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit or 32 degrees Celsius. To ensure the safety of your leftover rice against harmful bacteria causing food poisoning, it is important to transfer the rice into a covered container and promptly refrigerate it once it cools down. When stored in a refrigerator maintained below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius), leftover rice can be safely consumed for up to four days.
What is the correct method for reheating leftover rice?
For safe consumption of leftover rice, it is recommended to reheat it only once. Opt for reheating only the necessary portion instead of the entire batch. Make sure that both rice and any leftover pasta are heated to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius). Enjoy your meal!
Author Avni Kaul is a qualified nutritionist, experienced dietician, Diabetes Educator and founder of Delhi’s successful diet and nutritionist clinic NutriActivania. She is also one of India’s eminent weight-loss experts, diabetes dieticians, pregnancy dieticians and child nutritionists and helps kids to develop a strong immune system, fight allergies, gain height and weight as well as fight overweight / Obesity with an effective diet plan that is easy and fun to follow by children.
In Buenos Aires, 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games Nutritionist Avni Kaul was the Advisor (Nutrition) from India. She is a Gold-medallist master’s science graduate from the University of Delhi in the subject of Food and Nutrition. Avni Kaul is a diet and nutrition columnist in some of India's leading newspapers and magazines like - NDTV, TimesNow, Grazia and more.
Diet Programs by Avni Kaul
Your dietician consultation with dietician Avni Kaul will do the following things. Avni Kaul’s diet program will offer:Focus on your health benefits: Key benefits Avni offers, are long-term wellness, freedom from restrictive diets, and improved relationships with food and body, that include "intuitive eating," "weight loss without hard core dieting," and "healthy eating for pregnant woman and kids".
A high degree of qualifications, expertise, and achievements: Dietician Avni is one of the most sought-after dieticians in Delhi because of her qualifications that include gold medalist in Master's Degree of Science, B.Sc and M.Sc Food and Nutrition, Certified Diabetes Educator, Diploma in Applied Sports and Exercise Nutrition.
Fully personalized diet plans: With dietician Avni Kaul, you will get a tailor-made diet that suits your body and mind only that will help you to achieve your health goals in a holistic and sustainable manner be it is with your weight management, pregnancy diet, child nutrition, diabetes or thyroid management.
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