Help! - Food Poisoning Worry - Have just slightly reheated a risotto and given it to my 10mo.

[Annabellemary]

I only slightly heated it in the microwave to take the chill off, fed it to my 10mo and to my pregnant self and then suddenly remembered the dangers of not reheating rice properly.

Am petrified that i could have given my dd food poisoning.

Any help / suggestions greatly appreciated.

[Mercy]

Ok, I've just found this on the Food Standards website

"I've heard that reheating rice can cause food poisoning. Is this true?
It's true that you could get food poisoning from eating reheated rice. But it's not actually the reheating that's the problem ? it's the way the rice has been stored before reheating.

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 germinate into bacteria. These bacteria 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."

I'd be more concerned about you being pg tbh - but only because your immune system is lowered. But you may well be absolutely fine!

[theinsider]

Right, I would be of the opinion that if you could have eaten the food cold then it doesn't matter that you only reheated it slightly.

Don't worry, you'll all be fine.

[Mercy]

As the FSA says it how it's stored, not how it's cooked.

[Overmydeadbody]

You'll probably be fine.

Just on a slight deviation, theoutsider some food might be perfectly acceptable to be eaten cold, but still pose a food poisoning risk if heated up slightly, as harmful bacteria that wouldn't breed in the chilled food would start breeding and multiplying if the temp of the food gets warmer. So cold food straight from the fridge and piping hot food are still going to be safer than luke warm food iuswim.

Annabell there is not much you can do now that yopu've both eaten it, but chances are, if you cooled it quickly and stored it properly, and ate it as soon as you heated it up, you'll both be fine!

[Overmydeadbody]

it is how it is stored and how it is cooked mercy, or rather how it is heated up.

[Annabellemary]

I made it for tea last night, I think I put it in the fridge last night and took it out immediately before slightly heating it. We only had about six baby spoonfuls each before I suddenly realised my mistake and threw it away.

Hopefully because it was stored in the fridge right up until the point of heating then we will be alright.

I will obviously be looking out for any signs of illness and contact nhs direct if there are any signs.

Thank you so much for your advice, i've worried myself silly

[theinsider]

I bow to the superior knowledge of Overmydeadbody. She is my food guru

I completely see the point but if one ate it straight away (ie before any bactieria had time to produce/multiply) then wouldn't you be ok then?

[Overmydeadbody]

at theinsider and at being your food guru, thanks!

You will most likely be fine Annabell.