How does food poisoning happen with rice?
Fried rice syndrome is
food poisoning caused by a bacterium known as
Bacillus cereus (B. cereus). This microscopic germ likes to live on starchy foods like rice and pasta, but it can set up shop on nearly any food. All this bacterium needs is the right combination of time and improper temperature.
“Like most food poisoning, fried rice syndrome can occur when you don’t cook or store food at the right temperatures,” says Dr. Lee. “People call it ‘fried rice syndrome’ because the process of cooking rice, leaving it out and then reheating it creates a perfect environment for this germ.”
There’s another reason
B. cereus likes to latch onto rice: Its size.
“Rice is a bunch of tiny pieces, so it has more surface area than something like a steak,” says Dr. Lee. “More surface area means more places for germs to hide.”
But it’s not just rice that you have to watch out for.
B. cereus can also affect pasta, meats and cooked vegetables.
What causes fried rice syndrome?
Fried rice syndrome is sneakier than other types of food poisoning because it uses spores — or tiny cells — to make you sick. These spores can survive higher temperatures, including your microwave or a quick fry on the stovetop.
“
B. cereus spores can be anywhere,” explains Dr. Lee. “The spores are usually harmless in small numbers. But when in the right environment, they can multiply — and that’s when they can cause sickness.”
Say you cook some pasta to make a pasta salad. Or you cook some rice with the intention of making fried rice later. You leave the cooked food out on the counter for a few hours. Under the right conditions, the small group of spores can turn into a large gathering. And in those higher numbers, the spores will release enough toxins to make you sick.
Symptoms of fried rice syndrome
Like other types of food poisoning, symptoms of fried rice syndrome include:
It can be hard to
tell food poisoning and the “stomach flu” apart. Both illnesses can cause
gastroenteritis (inflammation of your digestive tract). If you get sick within a few hours of eating potentially spoiled food, that’s your likely culprit.
Fried rice syndrome and other types of food poisoning also
tend to run their course fasterthan the stomach flu. Most people will feel awful for a day or two with fried rice syndrome, but a stomach virus can last several days longer.
That doesn’t mean you should suffer through this illness if you’re seriously sick.
“If you have a weakened immune system or another health condition, food poisoning could become dangerous,” warns Dr. Lee.
Seek medical attention if you have severe symptoms or you experience:
- Diarrhea that fails to get better over time (generally in two to three days).
- Fever over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).
- Signs of dehydration, such as lightheadedness, dizziness, weakness, confusion, dry mouth and tongue, not urinating or sunken eyes.