If the rumors circulating on social media are true, the leftover rice might be trying to kill you. However, experts in the field tell a slightly different story.
It’s true that cooked rice left out at room temperature for too long can become a happy home for intruders, particularly Bacillus cereus, a common type of bacteria that lives in soil and therefore in much of the food we eat. “B. cereus loves to grow in the warm, moist environment that cooked rice provides,” said Si Ming Man, a professor in the division of immunology and infectious diseases at the Australian National University.
What has made B. cereus more famous on TikTok than other foodborne bugs is that its spores are hardy enough to survive the cooking process, and then — when food isn’t kept cold in the refrigerator — they can grow and produce toxins that even vigorous reheating can’t destroy, Man said.
And yes, while this illness is sometimes called “reheated rice syndrome” since leftover rice is a common route, other foods (steak, pasta salad, smoothies) have caused B. cereus outbreaks. (The case that recently went viral on TikTok was caused by spaghetti left out at room temperature for five days in 2008.)
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And what regarding the countless leftovers you’ve reheated (or even eaten cold) over the years that haven’t landed you in the hospital? Martin Wiedmann, a professor of food safety at Cornell University, said the reason we hear relatively little regarding such cases is that “the illness is usually very mild, unlike other foodborne illnesses.” Symptoms manifest in two unpleasant ways — primarily vomiting or diarrhea — but both typically clear up on their own within 24 hours.
“Chances are, the illness will be over by the time you feel like you need to do something regarding it,” said Linda J. Harris, a professor at the University of California, Davis, who researches microbial food safety. “The exception,” she added, “is people with weakened immune systems” — children younger than 5, adults 65 or older, pregnant women and other immunocompromised people. But experts agree that even healthy people have good reasons to follow these simple, common-sense guidelines.
How long does rice last in the refrigerator?
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends four to six days to eat cooked rice (and up to four days for most other leftovers), as long as it was stored in a refrigerator at 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius) or below and was never left out more than two hours (or at most one hour on especially hot days). Some experts say up to four days and recommend not reheating more than once, since more trips out of the refrigerator means more time in the danger zone.
Can you freeze rice?
Cooked rice will keep in the freezer for up to six months, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, but limiting its stay there to less than two months will help keep it fresher. Andrea Nguyen, author of “Ever-Green Vietnamese,” recommends freezing rice in any airtight container you would use to refrigerate it. “I don’t keep frozen rice very long, so there’s no need to get fussy and complicated,” she said. Thaw it in the refrigerator, then reheat it as directed above or add it directly to simmering soups and stews.
How do you cook rice in the microwave?
To ensure all the grains cook evenly and avoid black spots on your pots, Priya Krishna recommends steaming rice in the microwave: Rinse the rice well and add it to a large microwave-safe bowl along with twice the volume of water. Microwave it uncovered for 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the wattage of your microwave (you may have to experiment a few times to find the exact time). As the rice clumps together and the water evaporates, the microwave captures the steam, just like a pot with a lid. (Pro tip: There’s never a better time to clean the inside of your microwave.)
How do you reheat rice?
To warm up cold rice and regain much of its fluffy texture, Michael W. Twitty, author of Rice: A Savor the South Cookbooklikes to warm it in a pan with a little liquid and oil or other fat “until it’s fluffy and fuzzy once more.” Nguyen takes a similar approach or simply uses the microwave: Sprinkle on a little water, then cover loosely and use the high power setting. Both methods restore needed moisture to the grains, which tend to dry out a lot in the refrigerator.
How can I use leftover rice?
Cookbook author Julie Sahni’s favorite breakfast is fried eggs with zucchini or spinach sautéed with leftover rice, cumin, garlic, chiles, and cilantro, sometimes topped with toasted seaweed flakes or crumbled potato chips.
Twitty adds bits of kosher pastrami or surimi—i.e., imitation shrimp or crab, as in California rolls and sushi rolls—to his fried rice, much like Carolina crab fried rice.
Nowadays, Nguyen loads his fried rice with vegetables: “It’s a 1:1 ratio. Vegetable fried rice rarely has enough vegetables,” he said.
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