We develop recipes with rice all the time. It’s one of our kitchen staples and go-to sides for a variety of meals. From storied dishes like Savannah Red Rice, to weeknight favorites like Cheesy Broccoli-And-Rice Casserole, we are constantly cooking with rice, and we’re sure you are too.

This is why it’s important to comprehend how to effectively keep, cool, and reheat rice, because regrettably, if done incorrect, leftover cooked rice can make you sick. Read on to learn more about when it is and isn’t safe to consume leftover rice.

Is Leftover Rice Safe To Eat?
If correctly cooled, kept, and reheated, leftover rice is safe to consume, but if neglected for too long at space temperature level, cooked rice can cause foodborne disease. That doesn’t imply you must constantly throw out any additional rice you have. Rather use this guide to find out how to deal with remaining rice properly, so you won’t unintentionally make you or your liked ones sick.

How Does Leftover Rice Cause Food Poisoning?
Rice can include Bacillus cereus, a spore-forming germs that releases harmful toxic substances that can cause gastrointestinal disorder. When overlooked at space temperature level in what’s known in food security as the temperature “Danger Zone” in between 40 ° F and 140 ° F, the spores can quickly increase, producing great deals of contaminants, and consequently make you ill.

If you do get ill from Bacillus cereus, symptoms include queasiness, throwing up, and diarrhea. These signs will typically embed in a few hours after consuming the incorrectly dealt with rice, and fix within 24 hours. Bacillus cereus is not just a concern with cooked rice, but other starchy foods like pasta and potatoes, too.

How To Cool And Store Leftover Rice Safely
It’s crucial that prepared rice doesn’t remain at room temperature level for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if it’s excluded at a temperature over 90 ° F, like at an outside picnic in the summer). This suggests that if you unintentionally leave rice out on the counter and can’t keep in mind the length of time it’s existed, it’s best to toss it out to be safe.

To cool and store leftovers, spread the rice out in an even shallow layer either on a sheet pan, big plate, or container no more than 3 inches deep, and location it straight in the fridge to cool quickly. You ought to do this within an hour of cooking. The more it’s expanded, the much faster the rice will cool to a safe storage temperature level.
When entirely cooled, you can move the rice to airtight containers and refrigerate until you’re all set to reheat.
Given that it can be difficult to understand the length of time your takeout rice has actually been out at space temperature in between when it was packaged and when it was provided to your door, it’s finest to separate out what you will be enjoying immediately, and after that quickly move the rest to the fridge.

How Long Does Leftover Rice Last?
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), cooked rice appropriately kept can last 4 to 6 days in the fridge, but it’s finest to attempt to consume the leftovers within a few days, if possible. It can also be frozen for up to 6 months.

How To Reheat Leftover Rice
You reheat rice a variety of ways: either in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the oven. To maintain wetness while reheating, it’s finest to include a splash of water to the rice (and even an ice).

In order to securely reheat remaining rice, no matter the approach of choice, follow these standards:

Double check that the rice is steaming hot throughout. It needs to be reheated to a temperature of 165 ° F. (Use an instant-read thermometer for extra safety.).
Do not reheat leftover rice more than when.
Separate any big clumps to make sure even reheating.