Reheat the rice repeatedly

Sometimes, there may be uneaten rice leftovers even though you have carefully measured the portions to fit the number of people in the house. If you have this, what do you usually do? Save the remaining rice to reheat at the next meal? Heating rice is fine, but you have to be careful, you know!

The reason is, eating heated rice can cause food poisoning. No, not from the heating method. However, it is more like how you store the remaining rice before heating it again.

Why does heating rice cause food poisoning?

Many people are accustomed to keeping leftover rice only on the dining table before it is finally heated again. You may be one of them? This is what can actually increase the risk of food poisoning.

Before you panic awry, reiterate that again heating rice is fine. What raises the risk of food poisoning is not from the heating process, but how the remaining rice is stored before being heated again.

Uncooked raw rice can contain Bacillus cereus spores. These bacteria can survive even after the rice is cooked. Now, when cooked rice is allowed to cool at room temperature, the bacteria can multiply and produce toxins which are often the cause of food poisoning.

The longer the rice is allowed to sit sitting at room temperature before reheating, the more toxins will be produced by the bacteria, so it is likely that rice is no longer safe for consumption. Even though it is heated many times, the bacteria in the rice will not die because it is physically tough enough to go through the high temperature cooking process.

Therefore, more it is safe not to heat the rice many times because that means you also repeatedly let the rice cool to room temperature before reheating it again. What is there, Bacillus cereus spores will actually increase in number.

If you eat rice that contains Bacillus cereus bacteria, you may experience vomiting or diarrhea about 1 to 5 hours afterward. Symptoms are relatively mild and usually last about 24 hours.

Tips for storing, cooking, and heating rice

Ideally, serve the rice lukewarm as soon as it is cooked and finish it immediately. Do not leave rice chilled at room temperature open for more than 1 hour.

But if in fact there is rice left over, quickly cool the leftover food by dividing it into shallow food containers, close tightly then immediately store the hot rice in the refrigerator or freezer . Do this ideally within 1 hour of cooking the rice. Store the rice in the refrigerator for no more than 1 day until it is time to reheat.

Follow the tips below when you want to reheat rice before serving it again.

Tips for heating leftover rice

1. With the microwave

• Place the rice in an open container that can go into the microwave.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of water
• Heat for 3-4 minutes in the temperature 73º Celsius. If unsure, use a food thermometer.
• Serve immediately.

2. By sauteing

If you want to heat the rice by sautéing, follow the method below:

• Sauté the rice in a slightly greasy skillet over medium heat.
• The rice that is already cold is usually lumpy. Now, keep stirring the banana until the clumps separate.
• Make sure the temperature in the rice is at least 73 degrees Celsius
• Serve immediately while still warm.

3. By steaming

• Fill half the depth of the pot with water. Wait for it to boil.
• Put the remaining rice that you have placed in a stainless bowl or small saucepan.
• Cover the steamer and heat the rice thoroughly, stirring occasionally.
• Serve immediately when warm

When you heat the rice, always check that the rice is really hot steaming hot all the way (down to the bottom of the rice). Don't heat the rice more than once.

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