topic Re: Fried Rice Syndrome in Wellness

Fried Rice Syndrome

Mindy D — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 22:25:16 GMT

I recently learned about food poisoning from fried rice and white rice. The illness is caused by improper storage of cooked rice and improper temperatures in cooking the rice.

It is caused by the growth of Bacillus cereus. The bacteria can still be alive after cooking and can proliferate before refrigeration takes place. As the rice sits for just a short while at room temperature, under two hours, the bacteria produces spores which produce two different toxins, one of which is emetic (causing vomiting) and one of which is diarreahal. The toxins are extremely difficult to destroy upon reheating the rice, requiring 80 to 90 minutes at very high temperatures to destroy. Very few people reheat rice this way. The key is to prevent the toxins from being produced in the first place by proper cooking and handling of the rice. Rice should be eaten immediately after initial cooking at high temperatures and should not be left sitting out after cooking. It should be stored in small, shallow containers, in small amounts in each container, to allow for its rapid cooling in the refrigerator. Reheating should be at very high temperatures and should ensure that all the rice is reheated throughout.

“Do fry and eat the rice or refrigerate leftover rice within two hours after boiling.
Don’t just put a big pot of rice in the fridge. When properly storing leftover rice, the key is not the material but the size, according to Crowe.
Do divide large amounts of food into shallow containers so it can cool quickly and prevent bacteria growth.
Don’t leave boiled rice out overnight.
Do seek medical care if symptoms of foodborne illness persist over 24 hours.”

Above bulleted list is exerpted from “Eating leftover rice can make you very sick. Here’s how to properly store it” by Lilly Price in USA TODAY, May 2, 2019

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

novamc1 — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 14:41:19 GMT

Not all rice might be so wonderful, whether fried or not.

Much of it contains potentially toxic levels of arsenic, according to Consumer Reports, which has been preaching on this subject for a long time, repeatedly.

Supposedly depends on where the rice is grown.

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

millieshops — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 14:36:54 GMT

@Mindy DYikes! Sometimes I wonder why the world population continues to grow and grow given all the toxins that can attack us.

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

Mindy D — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 14:59:48 GMT

What concerns me most is not knowing how Chinese restaurants handle their cooked rice. Do they make a big pot of it and let it sit out until they make fried rice from it hours later?

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

Mindy D — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 15:39:36 GMT

For further reference

https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/Preventing-Foodborne-Illness-Bacillus-cereus.pdf

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

2blonde — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 15:44:52 GMT

@Mindy D Thanks for this heads-up. I don't often eat rice, but this is new info for me. Good to know!

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

Mz iMac — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 15:47:12 GMT

@Mindy D wrote:
What concerns me most is not knowing how Chinese restaurants handle their cooked rice. Do they make a big pot of it and let it sit out until they make fried rice from it hours later?

The rice is steamed to order in a wok. It's never boiled or cooked American style unless the customer requested it.

Not sure about the Japanese. You can't see their kitchens from the takeout counter like you do the Chinese joints.

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

SilleeMee — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 16:04:20 GMT

I come from a bi-racial Japanese-American family and was raised on white rice. Never had a problem with it, even when it was left out on the counter over night. In fact, most Japanese do not refrigerate their cooked rice. They will tell you not to do that because it changes the texture of the rice...not in a good way. They will, however refrigerate the rice and use that for fried rice dishes. My mom would cook a Japanese brand of short-grain white rice in a rice cooker which boils then steams it. But before it was cooked it was washed thoroughly then soaked in water at room temp for almost 8 hours prior to cooking it.

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

novamc1 — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 16:05:02 GMT

We used to get Chinese carryout food from a small place where you could easily see the food and the servers and cooks working behind the counter.

A big lidded stainless steel vat of white rice was stored behind the counter, and an ice cream scoop was used to dish it out. It probably sat there all day. It was given a quick stir-fry when fried rice was ordered.

Supposedly rice containing arsenic (which comes from the water and soil where it was grown) should either be soaked before cooking, or cooked in a large amount of water to cut down on the arsenic content.

Rice grown in the U.S. often grows on former cotton fields down South, and of course is usually grown in watery conditions around the world. These factors contribute to the arsenic content, from what I've read.

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

Mindy D — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 17:34:42 GMT

@Mz iMac wrote:
@Mindy D wrote:
What concerns me most is not knowing how Chinese restaurants handle their cooked rice. Do they make a big pot of it and let it sit out until they make fried rice from it hours later?
The rice is steamed to order in a wok. It's never boiled or cooked American style unless the customer requested it.
Not sure about the Japanese. You can't see their kitchens from the takeout counter like you do the Chinese joints.

I mean that after cooking the white rice, do they leave the quantities of white rice out at room temperature awaiting orders and then use the white rice to make fried rice with it.

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

Mindy D — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 16:07:52 GMT

Another good source of information on this. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs269

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

Mindy D — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 22:18:29 GMT

@SilleeMee wrote:
I come from a bi-racial Japanese-American family and was raised on white rice. Never had a problem with it, even when it was left out on the counter over night. In fact, most Japanese do not refrigerate their cooked rice. They will tell you not to do that because it changes the texture of the rice...not in a good way. They will, however refrigerate the rice and use that for fried rice dishes. My mom would cook a Japanese brand of short-grain white rice in a rice cooker which boils then steams it. But before it was cooked it was washed thoroughly then soaked in water at room temp for almost 8 hours prior to cooking it.

I’m aware of this practice among Japanese families. In my opinion, the practice is risky, but so many Japanese adhere to this practice. Something must be allowing people to avoid illness. This warrants further study. The number of illnesses in Japan has been hard for me to locate. I also wonder if there is some aspect of this practice that prevents people from becoming ill. Could there be some immunity to infection or lack of response to the toxins in the populations?

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

chrystaltree — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 17:52:02 GMT

I'm not going to worry about it or change anything I've done for 50 years. I will continue to eat my 2 day old fried rice. If I haven't died yet, I won't.

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

hckynut — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 19:53:17 GMT

@chrystaltree wrote:
I'm not going to worry about it or change anything I've done for 50 years. I will continue to eat my 2 day old fried rice. If I haven't died yet, I won't.

@chrystaltree

Me either. I don't eat as much rice as in the past. When I did, it was only brown rice. It is hard for me to get too concerned about all the "this is bad/recalled/toxins" news(?).

I will continue to eat as I have in the past and present. I'd say close to 95% of what I eat is not cooked, and most of it is from a natural source.

What others think is best for themselves and their families is up to them. I am sure they are doing what they feel is best for all.

hckynut

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

sidsmom — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 20:24:26 GMT

@SilleeMee wrote:
I come from a bi-racial Japanese-American family and was raised on white rice. Never had a problem with it, even when it was left out on the counter over night. In fact, most Japanese do not refrigerate their cooked rice. They will tell you not to do that because it changes the texture of the rice...not in a good way. They will, however refrigerate the rice and use that for fried rice dishes. My mom would cook a Japanese brand of short-grain white rice in a rice cooker which boils then steams it. But before it was cooked it was washed thoroughly then soaked in water at room temp for almost 8 hours prior to cooking it.

Yeah, articles/links like the OP posted is silly fear-mongering.

Like the title of the OP says, ‘fried rice’...

it’s the FRIED part which will do more harm to health, not the ‘rice’.

People will sit down & shove down Dominos, Twinkies & bowls of

Mac & Cheese in without batting an eye, but...

HORROR!....

rice???

HOLD UP

People are funny.

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

Mindy D — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 22:22:10 GMT

@sidsmom wrote:
@SilleeMee wrote:
I come from a bi-racial Japanese-American family and was raised on white rice. Never had a problem with it, even when it was left out on the counter over night. In fact, most Japanese do not refrigerate their cooked rice. They will tell you not to do that because it changes the texture of the rice...not in a good way. They will, however refrigerate the rice and use that for fried rice dishes. My mom would cook a Japanese brand of short-grain white rice in a rice cooker which boils then steams it. But before it was cooked it was washed thoroughly then soaked in water at room temp for almost 8 hours prior to cooking it.
Yeah, articles/links like the OP posted is silly fear-mongering.

Like the title of the OP says, ‘fried rice’...
it’s the FRIED part which will do more harm to health, not the ‘rice’.

People will sit down & shove down Dominos, Twinkies & bowls of
Mac & Cheese in without batting an eye, but...
HORROR!....
rice???
HOLD UP
People are funny.

sidsmom, aren’t you careful of the way you store your cooked foods? That’s all this is about. It’s about awareness of the proper handling and cooking of rice. I’ve been leaving my fried rice sitting out for hours until I’ve been hungry enough to eat it. I had no idea that this was not a safe practice.

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

sidsmom — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 22:40:10 GMT

@Mindy D wrote:
@sidsmom wrote:
@SilleeMee wrote:
I come from a bi-racial Japanese-American family and was raised on white rice. Never had a problem with it, even when it was left out on the counter over night. In fact, most Japanese do not refrigerate their cooked rice. They will tell you not to do that because it changes the texture of the rice...not in a good way. They will, however refrigerate the rice and use that for fried rice dishes. My mom would cook a Japanese brand of short-grain white rice in a rice cooker which boils then steams it. But before it was cooked it was washed thoroughly then soaked in water at room temp for almost 8 hours prior to cooking it.
Yeah, articles/links like the OP posted is silly fear-mongering.

Like the title of the OP says, ‘fried rice’...
it’s the FRIED part which will do more harm to health, not the ‘rice’.

People will sit down & shove down Dominos, Twinkies & bowls of
Mac & Cheese in without batting an eye, but...
HORROR!....
rice???
HOLD UP
People are funny.
sidsmom, aren’t you careful of the way you store your cooked foods? That’s all this is about. It’s about awareness of the proper handling and cooking of rice. I’ve been leaving my fried rice sitting out for hours until I’ve been hungry enough to eat it. I had no idea that this was not a safe practice.

@Mindy D

Of course I’m careful of the way I store my cooked foods.

But...

The focus of the article is about rice...and fried rice...and more rice.

The specific food ‘rice’ has nothing to do with/ food poisoning.

Food poisoning can happen with any food.

It’s odd the article is going overboard focusing on a food source

eaten by millions of people around the World.

Clickbait much?

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

Mindy D — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 22:52:44 GMT

@sidsmom wrote:
@Mindy D wrote:
@sidsmom wrote:
@SilleeMee wrote:
I come from a bi-racial Japanese-American family and was raised on white rice. Never had a problem with it, even when it was left out on the counter over night. In fact, most Japanese do not refrigerate their cooked rice. They will tell you not to do that because it changes the texture of the rice...not in a good way. They will, however refrigerate the rice and use that for fried rice dishes. My mom would cook a Japanese brand of short-grain white rice in a rice cooker which boils then steams it. But before it was cooked it was washed thoroughly then soaked in water at room temp for almost 8 hours prior to cooking it.
Yeah, articles/links like the OP posted is silly fear-mongering.

Like the title of the OP says, ‘fried rice’...
it’s the FRIED part which will do more harm to health, not the ‘rice’.

People will sit down & shove down Dominos, Twinkies & bowls of
Mac & Cheese in without batting an eye, but...
HORROR!....
rice???
HOLD UP
People are funny.
sidsmom, aren’t you careful of the way you store your cooked foods? That’s all this is about. It’s about awareness of the proper handling and cooking of rice. I’ve been leaving my fried rice sitting out for hours until I’ve been hungry enough to eat it. I had no idea that this was not a safe practice.
@Mindy D
Of course I’m careful of the way I store my cooked foods.
But...
The focus of the article is about rice...and fried rice...and more rice.
The specific food ‘rice’ has nothing to do with/ food poisoning.

Food poisoning can happen with any food.
It’s odd the article is going overboard focusing on a food source
eaten by millions of people around the World.
Clickbait much?

Hi, sidsmom. It’s not an article. I wrote this. My intent is to make people aware of the safe handling, cooking, reheating and storage of rice; especially leftover rice. I have no intention of vilifying rice. I’ve been mishandling it myself for years. Now I know better. I’ll refrigerate it much sooner, in shallow containers. I won’t be leaving it (usually in my Chinese food delivery bag) out a couple of hours until I’m ready to eat.

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

sidsmom — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 22:59:37 GMT

@Mindy D

I was referring to the USA article written by Lilly Price.

Are you Lilly Price?

It’s good to reiterate food safety...for all foods.

Re: Fried Rice Syndrome

qbetzforreal — Sat, 17 Aug 2019 01:44:43 GMT

@Mindy D wrote:
@Mz iMac wrote:
@Mindy D wrote:
What concerns me most is not knowing how Chinese restaurants handle their cooked rice. Do they make a big pot of it and let it sit out until they make fried rice from it hours later?
The rice is steamed to order in a wok. It's never boiled or cooked American style unless the customer requested it.
Not sure about the Japanese. You can't see their kitchens from the takeout counter like you do the Chinese joints.
I mean that after cooking the white rice, do they leave the quantities of white rice out at room temperature awaiting orders and then use the white rice to make fried rice with it.

No. The rice is left in the cooker held at a safe tempeture.