TikTok has proved the bearer of bad, albeit very old, news to many after 2008 reports of a food poisoning death have reemerged online.
The 20-year-old college student in question died after eating pasta that had been left out of the fridge for five days, leading to a build-up of bacillus cereus.
The resharing of the news story has led to something of a moral panic emerging over what has been dubbed ‘fried rice syndrome’ - although the danger is no greater now than it was in 2008, or any year prior.
This is what you need to know.
What is fried rice syndrome? Where did the term come from?
This colloquially refers to a type of food poisoning that is most likely to be found in starchy foods. The bacteria that grows on the foods, called Bacillus cereus, can cause diarrhoea and vomiting, putting sufferers potentially out of action for a few days.
It is very unlikely to be fatal but might be more damaging to people with underlying conditions and to children.
“If rice is left standing at room temperature, the spores can grow into bacteria,” the NHS states. “These bacteria will multiply and may produce toxins (poisons) that cause vomiting or diarrhoea.
“The longer cooked rice is left at room temperature, the more likely it is that the bacteria or toxins could make the rice unsafe to eat.”
What causes fried rice syndrome?
Bacillus cereus gradually grows on food that has not been stored correctly or for a long time. It can grow on anything but is more likely to plague starchy foods like rice and pasta.
The bacteria type is resistant to heating. The threat of other types of bacteria is often eliminated by heating up foods sufficiently.
E. coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter are other types of bugs that are thought to be more common although the precise numbers are unknown.
How to prevent fried rice syndrome
To protect oneself, care should be taken to put leftovers in the fridge right away and to reheat anything at 60C or above. You may also wish to consider putting it in the freezer.
Leftovers can generally survive in the fridge for three or four days but with rice and pasta, it is better to err on the side of caution.
According to NHS guidance, you should keep rice in the fridge for no more than one day until reheating. When you reheat rice, always check that it's steaming hot all the way through and do not not reheat it more than once.
