Prevent Your Rice From Poisoning You With These Vital Hygiene Tips

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Micah_Medina]Micah Medina
Rice grains are practically coated in a spore called Bacillus Cereus. Under normal circumstances they're safe, but once the rice is heated and left alone, it can gather all kinds of bacteria and make you sick. Rice is one of most innocuous sources of food poisoning, and that's because despite rice-related poisoning being so common, people rarely attribute it properly. In the states it's more famous as a side dish, so people are more likely to blame that sirloin steak or crab than the harmless looking risotto on the side of the plate. But whether you know it or not, rice that isn't properly prepared and stored can quickly gather bacteria and ruin your night.
Here's what you can do to handle your rice safely.
Before you start cooking it, you've got to store it properly. Instead of just leaving the rice in an open bag, store it in a sealed container and put in a cool, dry place. Your cabinets are well-suited to holding your rice. Try not to put it in a fridge - exposing the rice to moisture is practically an invitation towards mold growth.
There are plenty of dishes out there that call for cold rice. That isn't inherently dangerous, but you need to handle the process of cooling very, very carefully. Take the rice and chill it under cold water, then keep it chilled. Wild variations in temperature aren't healthy. If you're planning to serve it at room temperature, don't leave it out longer than an hour -- bacteria can start growing on your rice in as little as half an hour, and after a full hour it'll escalate to dangerous levels.
If you serve rice hot, eat it right away. Try not to leave your rice hot for more than a couple of hours, even if you're using a rice cooker. Like we've said before, warm rice is an ideal condition for germs, and besides, fresh rice tastes best anyway.
You wish to chill your rice once you've heated it, by storing it in your fridge and putting it in the microwave later. That can work well, but make sure you only reheat the rice one time. And when you do heat it, make sure that it's heated throughout. Rice is pretty inexpensive, so you shouldn't have to scrape that hard to get a new bag.
You can cut the danger of cooking rice by serving it fresh, and dealing with it carefully during storage. If you're patient, you're going to have a free ticket to enjoy one of the most delicious foods in the world.
Micah Medina is a long time foodie who maintains [http://www.ricecookerreview.com]Rice Cooker Review, a website featuring rice cooker reviews and cooking advice.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Prevent-Your-Rice-From-Poisoning-You-With-These-Vital-Hygiene-Tips&id=6640314] Prevent Your Rice From Poisoning You With These Vital Hygiene Tips