Why experts say leftover rice is likely to give you food poisoning

(KHON2) — Rice is undoubtedly a big food staple, but beware, the National Health Service says eating ‘leftover’ rice can give you food poisoning. 

That’s because uncooked rice often contain spores of Bacillus cereus — a bacteria strand that can cause food poisoning.

What’s more, it can actually survive when rice is cooked. The longer you leave out that heated rice at room temperature, the bacteria multiplies, and can produce toxins that make you sick. 

But you don’t have to give up rice entirely. Experts say the best thing to do is eat it soon after it’s cooked, and then stick it into the fridge within an hour. They also point out you shouldn’t keep it longer than 24 hours. 

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