Re-heated Rice, I know I shouldn't but *if* I do how should I re-heat it?

[Demented]

I've got some gorgeous saffron rice left over from dinner last night. It was put in the fridge fairly swiftly after everyone had taken their fill. I know I shouldn't but I am thinking that I could add a couple of tablespoons of water to the rice and put it in an ovenproof dish covered with foil in the oven at about 190 for 20 mins or so. Would this work? Worried it might dry out too much.

We have eaten loads of rice salads, rice from takeaways and in the past re-heated rice (egg fried rice made with leftover rice etc) and haven't had food poisoning yet.

[hercules]

We have eaten reheated rice for over 10 years now everyother day as we have a rice cooker and have never suffered.

[hmb]

I worked for a toxicologist who would never eat re-heated rice. You cannot heat it enough to destroy the toxin as it has a very small molecular structure and doesn't change in shape (and function) when heated.

[Metrobaby]

My parents (coming from an Asian background) re-heat rice all the time and have been doing so for years and years. They reheat it in the microwave for a couple of mins or so with some water . Saying that though the rice never tastes as good reheated and since being with DH I would never reheat rice and wouldn't give it to DD either.

[Demented]

whispers< rice in oven at the moment. May be seeking advice tomorrow for food poisoning.

[mummytojames]

personanly i would never even dream of re-heating rice because forget about it being poisonous i find it taste horrible and would never dream of giving it to a child under 15 or a adult over 65 as i have heared this is when there imune systems at the lowest for there life

[frogs]

I do this all the time, as follows:

Put rice in oven-proof container with dollops of butter and salt/black pepper. Cover with lid or foil and reheat in the oven until v. hot in middle.

I've never had any trouble... Yet...

[motherinferior]

If leftover rice poisoned you I reckon I'd have been dead by the age of 3.

[Codswallop]

I dont see why itwould be a prob

No meat in it is there?

[hmb]

I don't think that it is poisonous to the point of killing you, but it makes you vomit for the first team.

It is one of those small risk things. Most people will do it and have no problems, others will get a dose and feel very ill.

There is no 'safe' way of reheating rice. If the toxin is there, it will make you ill. You pays your money, and takes your choice

[hmb]

It isn't a meat thing cods, the rice can form a short chain peptide (a toxin) that causes vomiting.

[hmb]

This from the food standards agencey

Uncooked rice can contain spores of Bacillus cereus, bacteria that can cause food poisoning. When the rice is cooked, the spores can survive. Then, if the rice is left standing at room temperature, the spores will multiply and may produce toxins (poisons) that cause vomiting or diarrhoea. Reheating the rice won't get rid of these toxins.

So, the longer cooked rice is left at room temperature, the more likely it is that bacteria, or the toxins they produce, could stop the rice being safe to eat.

It's best to serve rice when it has just been cooked. If that isn't possible, cool the rice as quickly as possible (ideally within one hour) and keep it in the fridge for no more than one day until reheating.

Remember that when you reheat any food, you should always check that it's piping hot all the way through, and avoid reheating more than once.

[Codswallop]

eeergh

never knew that!

[nikcola]

i reheat rice about 5 times a week and we are all ok

[Demented]

That's not so scary then. It was made last night, refrigerated within the hour and then reheated today, in the oven at 190 C for almost 30 mins (stirred half-way through). Thanks hmb.

BTW it was quite nice, yummy saffron rice that had been cooked with loads of butter in the first place so it didn't dry out too much, a few crispy grains but on the whole nice. With leftover chicken and veggies reheated it was quite a treat not to have to cook.

[Kayleigh]

So what's the story with the micro in the bag rice stuff(Uncle bens etc). I asume that has been cooked once and then you're reheating ?
It has a really long shelf life so surely that is ages between cooking and re-heating???

It's one of the things I keep in the cupboard for when i HAVE to make dinner in the next 5 mins.

[suzywong]

FWIW
My MIL (Chinese flavour) looked at me as though I was bonkers when I expressed concern many years ago when newly married.
But then HMB's post is very interesting as a counterpoint.
I would say that if you know exactly where it as been and how it has been stored and you use a re-heating method that involves brining it to over 65 degrees C then you should be fine

[hmb]

You may well be fine with re heating rice if there is no toxin present, but no temperature will make the toxin go away. It doesn't matter what temperature you heat rice to, the toxin is not affected by the heat. Other toxins produced by bacteria are changed in shape (denatured) when heated and stop being a problem. Re heating rice has no effect on the toxin produced by that specific bacteria. If it is there you will get it

[Kayleigh]

so what you are saying hmb, is that eating reheated rice is a bit like russian roulette ?

[kiwisbird]

DH won't touch it as he got campillobactor from it, I've done it loads from only rice cooked at home...
if it is takeaway rice it will already have been cooked cooled and reheated in all likelihood...

[twiglett]

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[twiglett]

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[hercules]

So why have we been eating reheated rice for 10 years (me) and dh sll his life and yet never had food poisoning?


Are we the chosen few?

[Lisa78]

Reheated rice can give you really nasty food poisoning and you shouldn't do it

I do it all the time though, in the microwave with a bit of water!

Think its like eating rare steak - you could get a tapeworm but how many people do you know who have had tapeworms?

[Lisa78]

you're all going to freak about rare steak now aren't you?

[Demented]

What, you can get a tapeworm from rare steak!!!