Rice is a global kitchen staple—affordable, comforting, and incredibly versatile. From stir-fries to curries, it’s a go-to side dish or even a main meal. But here’s what most people don’t realize:
Storing cooked rice the wrong way can make it dangerously unsafe to eat.
Surprised? You’re not alone. Many home cooks unknowingly make a common storage mistake that could lead to serious food poisoning. So before you toss those leftovers into the fridge and call it a day, here’s what you absolutely need to know.
The Hidden Danger: Bacillus Cereus
The silent culprit behind rice-related food poisoning is a bacteria called Bacillus cereus. It’s naturally found in soil and water—and it’s almost always present in uncooked rice.
Here’s where things get tricky:
Cooking kills most of the bacteria.
But it doesn’t destroy the heat-resistant spores.
see next page
ADVERTISEMENT
