If you have ever eyeballed the amount of pasta or rice you’re cooking, you have inevitably accidentally made too much. Naturally, most of us take this surplus and turn it into leftovers, but did you know that improperly reheated rice can actually be deadly?
Doctor andTikToker Dr. Joewent viral for explaining why a 20-year-old man died after eating pasta that had just been sitting out a bit too long. In fact, this happens so often that medical professionals even have a term for it, “Fried Rice Syndrome.” Netizens were shocked to learn that, for some, a normal habit of leaving their leftovers unrefrigerated can be downright deadly. We got in touch with Dr. Joe to learn more.
Leftover fried rice is a staple in many households, but it and pasta can actually be dangerous, if not stored correctly
Image credits:Jie Wang (not the actual photo)
“Do not make your food put it in a Tupperware and then leave it on your counter for a week because you literally will pass away”
Image credits:drjoe_md
“This 20 year old died of a condition it’s commonly referred to as fried rice syndrome. This is a condition in which you’d have bacterial overgrowth it pasta or rice is left at room temperature for too long. In med school were taught the phrase reheat rice be serious to remember which bacteria causes this condition.”
Image credits:Ello (not the actual photo)
“So how long is too long? You should not eat pasta or rice that’s been left at room temperature unrefrigerated for more than two hours”
You can view the full video here
Dr. Joe shared some other thoughts with us
Bored Pandagot in touch with Dr. Joe and he was kind enough to answer some of our questions. We were curious to hear what other common food practices carried some risks with them.
“To minimize the risk of food poisoning, it’s crucial to reheat pasta or rice to a temperature of at least 165°F (74°C). Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature. Microwaving is often the quickest and most convenient method, but you can also reheat on the stovetop or in an oven. Stir the food occasionally during the reheating process to ensure even heat distribution,” he shared with Bored Panda. We also asked him for some other food storage tips.
Bacteria are more common than you might think
As the video mentions, bacteria is the number one cause of most food-borne illnesses and deaths. While E-coli and Salmonella are often thought of as the main culprits, the vast majority of food poisoning cases come from the delightfully named Campylobacter jejuni (77.3% of cases.) While these statistics are from the UK, they are likely comparable to most similar nations.
Nevertheless, some people can’t even imagine cooking chicken without giving it a quick back in the sink first. However, at least the majority of the population understands that meat, chicken, and pork, in particular, are pretty risky, so they cook and store it properly. This can, perhaps, lead to a false sense of security.
Image credits:insung yoon (not the actual photo)
Pasta and rice are not seen as being as risky as chicken
But appearances can be deceiving, even after an hour or more, certain bacteria can flourish on your leftover fried rice or pasta carbonara. Even worse, people often reheat these items incorrectly, improperly killing the bacteria. Pasta is the worst offender, as it’s pretty easy to overcook while reheating, so many people might not use the time and temperature needed to make it safe again.
Image credits:Tina Dawson (not the actual photo)
Reheating these dishes comes with its own challenges
Even if this hasn’t happened to you, you must still thank good luck and a decent immune system. However, the facts are not pretty. Bacillus cereus, the bacteria mentioned in Dr. Joe’s video can happily multiply in rice at 30 °C (86 °F). At this temperature, which is a bit above room temp,it doubles every 30 minutes. Even worse, it increases a million times within 8-10 hours.
While the risk is still relatively low at this point, some people leave these dishes out overnight, with deadly results. If a leftover dish has been left long enough, even proper reheating might not kill the bacteria’s spores. Studies recommend cooking the item for a minimum of five minutes at 121 °C (250 °F) tofully eradicate the spores.
And even any novice cook knows, this means the actual ingredients reaching 121 °C (250 °F), not just the interior of the oven or frying pan. So if you do still want to risk heating up some leftovers, at least tread on the side of caution and blast it with heat. A slightly overcooked dish is, always, better than death.
Netizens were shocked to learn that these staples could be deadly
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