How Long Can Rice Sit Out And Does It Go Bad?

Rice is eaten throughout several countries such as China, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh etc. Asia invoices for around 90% of the rice consumption globally. It is nowadays considered to be the fastest-growing staple.

This food staple can be eaten steamed or boiled. You can also grind it into flour and noodles, cakes, bread, etc. Its variety of usage does not come to a halt here. Besides that, you can also process it into some other rice-based foods and beverages.

Are you also a rice lover? Then don’t forget to give 5 best Japanese rice cookers and 5 best rice cookers, a read for turning your rice cooking into a better experience. If you want to know more about this food staple then browse this article and get all your queries clear right away!

How Long Can Rice Sit Out?

Rice is the second-highest yielded in the world. Its health benefits are enormous. Some of those include; it improves the health of the nervous system, is a gluten-free and an excellent source of energy, helps reduce cancer risks, and many more.

However, there is one usual thing about this food item like others. And that is, it may go bad; the same goes for any other category. Therefore its storage is of prime significance and it depends on the variety of rice you’re dealing with. When cooked, all types of rice can sit out only for two hours after cooking and serving. However, uncooked rice shows a longer sit-out duration, up to months or even years.

What Happens if Rice Sits Out Too Long?

It sometimes happens that you forget to provide optimum conditions for the storage of your cooked rice. According to the U.K.’s National Health Service advises, eating spoiled rice may lead you to develop food poisoning. So, what happens if you have left out cooked rice for too long?

After boiling, steaming or cooking your rice any other way, you should not allow it to sit out for more than an hour. Uncooked rice is usually known to carry Bacillus cereus spores, a bacterium causing food poisoning, as already mentioned. That bacterium can stay alive even after cooking rice and multiply if allowed to sit out at room temperature.

What Should You Do If Rice Is Left Out Too Long?

If your rice has been allowed to sit out for too long, you must keep your health and safety in the first place and must do as we are telling you to. As mentioned above, if cooked rice is left out for too long at room temperature, there may be a higher probability of bacteria development. So, to avoid catching any diarrhea or uncomfortable bout of vomiting, discard it without thinking further. Consider refrigerating it always or defrosting it.

How Long Can Rice Be In The Car For?

Rice is a perishable food staple, and for this reason, it is not suggested to keep your delicious cooked rice in the car for longer. The Food and Drug Administration says that food-borne illnesses caused by bacteria double every 20 minutes at room temperature. Cooked rice can only sit for 2 hours and only 1 hour when the temperature is above 90 degrees.

Does Rice Go Bad If Not Refrigerated?

Since rice is perishable, it cannot retain its quality and true essence if not refrigerated or defrosted. If you want your cooked rice to last for longer, always consider refrigerating it or putting it in the freezer as it needs to be. Do not neglect it ever, as if you do so; you will have to face a lot of serious setbacks in terms of food poisoning.

Do Rice Go Bad If You Lose Power?

Yes, rice goes bad if you lose power. According to USDA, your rice can stay well in the refrigerator for approximately 4 hours in case of a power outage. So, what should you do If the time exceeds 4 hours?

Simply discard refrigerated rice right away if that is the case you come up with.

What Temperature Is Safe For Rice?

The question that arises now is, what is the safe temperature zone for cooked rice? The internal temperature must be such that it is somewhat near to 165 degrees Fahrenheit or even higher than that. If you are not sure about the temperature, use a food thermometer and if the temperature is what we mentioned right above, eat and enjoy.

How to store Rice

Rice can be considered as one of the greatest companions in the preparation of lots of recipes. You can almost always find it together with some meats, fish, and even chicken. It’s actually very common. When we talk about rice, we mean about a companion or different dish’s main ingredient. Rice is a cereal that provides great health benefits since it is rich in starch; it is a fiber source; it is low in fat; it has vitamin B and iron.

As you can see, rice is a food with many benefits to offer, but this is only possible as long as it is kept in good condition. To achieve that, you must know how to store it so that its duration is extended enough to consume it to your liking.

Storing rice is a simple job, so you should not worry about performing a complicated procedure. You have to make sure you follow the instructions to the letter and that the methods applied for conservation are effective.

The rice comes dry and packaged. As long as it remains that way, storing it will not be very demanding. You must protect it from sources of heat, humidity, and direct exposure to sunlight, so using the pantry to store your rice is the safest option since it can offer a cool, dry and dark environment, which constitutes the place ideal for preserving rice.

Once you open the rice packaging, it is best to transfer it to an airtight container or a freezer bag so that they fulfill the task of protecting it from any contaminating agent.

When you have cooked the rice, you should wait at least twenty minutes to cool down a bit, and then you should proceed to store it in an airtight container to refrigerate it.

Can You Freeze Rice?

If you bought more rice than you can consume in the short term or you prepared a little and you had leftovers that you do not want to finish eating for the moment, then you can choose to freeze your rice to extend the period in which it can be kept in good condition.

The process of freezing the rice is quite simple. If it is in its sealed packaging, you can place it directly in the freezer. If it is open packaging, you should pour everything in an airtight container or a freezer bag with the least air possible. If it is cooked rice, you should deposit it in small portions to easily choose how much you want to defrost.

How Long Does Rice Last

Rice is a cereal that is not only graced with multiple health benefits. It also has a long shelf life, so if you have a couple of rice packages that have been stored for a couple of weeks or months, you should not worry about it being put in poor condition as long as you follow all the rules indicated for optimal conservation.

Rice packages usually come with labels that indicate deadlines in which it is guaranteed until then that it will remain in its best quality standard. Still, after this period has elapsed, the rice will continue to be safe to eat for months and even years. It all depends on the methods used to store it.

Concerning the exact dates of rice durability, it is estimated that as long as it remains dry, it does not matter if it is at room temperature, refrigerated or frozen. Its duration will be indefinite. When you have cooked the rice, it will last for about a week when refrigerated and six months if you freeze it.

How to Tell If Rice Is Bad

Despite the long life of rice, it is still vulnerable to pollutants, so if you are not sure you have stored your rice properly, then you should check it to avoid the possibility of getting sick from eating a portion of food in bad condition.

While you are checking your rice, you should be aware of any sign that indicates that it is in poor condition. In dry rice, insects, discoloration, humidity, or bad smell indicate that it is in bad shape. When it comes to cooked rice, if it has mold or water in the bottom or if you perceive bad odors, you can also classify it as being in bad condition.

If you do not find any of the aforementioned characteristics after checking your rice, it means that it is in good condition and that you can consume it without any fear.

Sources:

• eatbydate
• foodnetwork
• cahokiarice
• delish