Maryland doctor explains the hidden dangers of meal-prepping rice; shares simple steps to avoid health risks

Rice usually contains heat-resistant spores of a harmful bacteria. Dr Sood explains how it affects health and how to be safe.

Rice is one of the easiest foods to cook in bulk for meal prep, and if done properly, it significantly boosts its nutritional value.

Rice should be consumed within 24 to 48 hours of being prepared, according to Dr Sood. (Unsplash)

Freshly made rice is loaded with carbohydrates and likely to cause a significant spike in blood sugar levels. However, preparing rice early and then freezing it converts the starch into resistant starch, which is a type of fibre. Reheating and eating this lowers the calorie content of the food and keeps blood sugar levels stable.

However, storing cooked rice presents a unique food safety risk that can surprise many people, according to Dr Kunal Sood, a Maryland-based physician in Anesthesiology and Interventional Pain Medicine.

Taking to Instagram on February 14, he explained what it is and how to go about meal prepping rice to mitigate the risk.

Risk of meal prepping rice

According to Dr Sood, it is a common notion that cooking and reheating rice make the food safe for consumption. However, rice often contains Bacillus cereus spores, which can survive the heat unlike most bacteria.

“If cooked rice is left at room temperature, the spores can germinate, and the bacteria produce toxins directly in the food,” noted the doctor.

While reheating can kill the bacteria, the toxin secreted is likely to remain. As a result, the rice can cause people to be sick if consumed, even though it can look and smell perfectly good. The symptoms usually appear fast, often within 30 minutes to six hours, and are most commonly nausea and vomiting.

The risk while meal-prepping rice increases in the following circumstances:

• Rice is cooled slowly or refrigerated late
• Rice is allowed to sit outside the refrigerator for more than one to two hours
• Rice is stored for several days
• Rice is reheated multiple times

How to mitigate the risk

“Prevention is all about time and temperature,” shared Dr Sood. Following the given steps lowers the risk of meal-prepped rice becoming harmful to health.

1. Rice should be cooled quickly after being cooked
2. It should be spread into shallow containers and refrigerated within about an hour at 4° C or below
3. The safest window to eat cooked rice is within 24 to 48 hours and reheated once until steaming hot throughout.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.