This Is the Only Way To Safely Store Leftover Rice

When you think of risky leftovers, you probably picture days-old meat or moldy veggies. But there may be another unexpected food safety risk hiding in plain sight on your refrigerator shelf: rice. Thanks to the presence of potentially harmful bacteria, leftover rice can cause major GI upset—but the risk level ultimately depends on how you store this pantry staple once it’s cooked.

Below, learn more about why rice is potentially one of the most dangerous leftovers, and how to properly store it to prevent the risk of food poisoning. 

Why Rice Can Be So Risky 

Uncooked rice contains spores of a common bacteria called Bacillus cereus that survive cooking. If you leave cooked rice at room temperature — between 40 F and 140 F — the spores can turn into bacteria. These bacteria then multiply and can potentially produce toxins that lead to food poisoning symptoms.

Consuming rice contaminated with Bacillus cereus bacteria can lead to vomiting and/or diarrhea anywhere from 30 minutes to 15 hours afterward, and symptoms can persist for 24 hours.

How To Safely Store Rice

Given the health risks associated with rice, it’s important to be mindful about storage. Because the bacteria thrives at room temperature, you want to fully cool it before you put it in the fridge — if you stick it in when it’s too hot, especially in a closed container, the rice will stay at a higher temperature longer. Plus, the hot rice could heat up the overall fridge temperature, putting your other items at risk. 

Cooked rice should be fully cool within a couple hours (ideally, one hour). “After that time, the bacteria rapidly increases,” says Carla Contreras, a chef, recipe developer, and ServeSafe instructor. Cooling rice can be a delicate process, because you shouldn’t put it in the refrigerator when it’s too warm, but you also don’t want to leave it on the counter for too long.

The Anatomy of a Perfect Bowl of Fluffy Rice

The easiest way to cool rice quickly, Contreras says, is to place it in a glasslock container and let it cool to room temperature with the lid off. “The lid off is important, because you want it to cool down as quickly as possible,” she adds.

In her home kitchen, Contreras keeps a small stand fan next to the table and turns it onto cool hot food quickly. Another way to cool rice quickly is to spread it out on a rimmed, lined baking sheet. With more surface area exposed to the air, the rice will cool faster than if it were crammed in a container. 

The Safest Way To Enjoy the Leftovers

Once you cool and store it, eat your rice within a day. Only heat up the leftover rice once; Contreras says the potential for bacterial growth increases the more times you heat it up. If you’re not sure you’ll eat all the leftovers, start small: you can always heat up more separately if needed. 

To extend the life of your rice, Contreras recommends freezing it and reheating when you’re ready to eat. Just pop it in the microwave with a damp paper towel covering it in 30-second increments until it’s hot. 

While rice is one of the most well-known culprits for Bacillus cereus-related poisoning, it can also happen with other foods, such as pasta or couscous. So as a general rule, no matter what you’re cooking, always allow it to cool fully and quickly—then store and eat it again ASAP.