Storing cooked rice in fridge

Storing cooked rice in fridge - Flat Lay Photography of Two Tray of Foods

I ordered a rice recipe yesterday and stored the left over in the fridge. However the container is not airtight. I was planning to have it today and tomorrow. I wanted to ask if its still safe to eat. It was kept in fridge within an hour of ordering.



Best Answer

The reason I asked if it was from a take away is whether or not it was cooked beforehand then reheated to order.

Chances are the restaurant has cooked a large batch of rice, cooled it and then reheated it for your order. If this is the case I would rather lick my toilet seat than reheat the rice again.

Why?

  1. There is a bacteria spore (Bacillus cereus) that can live inside each grain of rice which can't be killed by boiling, also present in beans. The killing of this bacteria requires 120c (i think) which is only achieved under pressure (think canned foods). When the rice is then reheated again it's giving this bacteria more chance of growth, each time you heat it, leaving behind toxins.

  2. Take away are notoriously bad for sticking to safety guidelines. Possibly allowing the rice to cool on the side in the kitchen or a stuck straight in the fridge. Where is is a must you cool the rice to fridge temp within 30mins. I'd personally always cool my rice under running water and ice. But I don't cook Chinese food and I imagine this would wash away much of the starch required for that 'sticky' Chinese style rice.

  3. The warm time between them cooking the rice originally, then the time after reheating it, packaging it, delivering it to your door, you dishing it up and leaving it on your counter while you eat and only then putting it in the fridge... Bah tummy bug in a tub if you ask me.

  4. We have no idea how long this rice was kept in the fridge at the place in question. Could be fresh that day but there's every chance it's older anything up to 3 days (hopefully no longer) which is way past the recommend 24 hours.

When people complain about getting ill from the Chinese/Indian they had the night before because of the prawns. Really more often than not it is the rice making them sick not the meat.

So the short version...

...bin it.




Pictures about "Storing cooked rice in fridge"

Storing cooked rice in fridge - Barbecue on Grill With Sauce Platter
Storing cooked rice in fridge - Man and Woman Eating Dinner on a Terrace
Storing cooked rice in fridge - Crop unrecognizable person with tasty prawn against ethnic child and relative at table during New Year holiday



Quick Answer about "Storing cooked rice in fridge"

Ideally, serve rice as soon as it has been cooked. If that is not possible, cool the rice as quickly as possible (ideally within 1 hour). Keep rice in the fridge for no more than 1 day until reheating.

How long can you keep cooked rice in the fridge?

Cooked rice must be refrigerated, and it keeps for about 4 days. It may also be frozen for longer. If you notice any changes in smell, taste, or texture, or signs of mold growth or bugs in both dry or cooked rice, make sure to discard it right away.

Can I keep cooked rice in the fridge?

Rice is best eaten as soon after cooking as possible, i.e. the next day, but generally, cooked rice, if cooled and stored correctly, lasts three to five days. The USA Rice Federation recommends only storing cooked rice leftovers for set periods: In the fridge, cooked rice leftovers may be stored for 3 to 5 days.

Is it safe to eat cold rice from the fridge?

Contrary to what has been believed for quite some time, it is, in fact, fine to eat cold rice from the fridge. Eating cold rice is only fine if it has been stored correctly, and has not been allowed to reach a temperature above 40 degrees Fahrenheit after cooking.



How to Store rice in the fridge for meal preps- Never buy microwave rice again




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Ella Olsson, Artem Beliaikin, Yan Krukov, Angela Roma