I feel sorry for leftover rice so I often reheat it for the next meal, sometimes I keep it in the refrigerator for a day before eating it. Is that a good idea and does it cause cancer? (Hong, 32 years old, Hanoi)
Reply:
Normally, rice that is cooked and stored properly can be left out at room temperature for about 24 hours without spoiling. After that time, bacteria and insects will invade and cause the rice to spoil and become sour.
Cold rice stored in the refrigerator will last longer, but you should not store it for too long. If you want to save it for reuse, it is best to use it within 24 hours, because if left for a long time, the rice will not go bad and will lose nutrients.
Regarding cancer, there is absolutely no evidence that eating cold rice left in the refrigerator causes cancer. Cancer is not caused by one thing, and each type of cancer has its own cause. Cold rice spoiled by microorganisms causes poisoning when eaten.
It is best to cook just enough for a meal, avoid leaving rice for the next meal. Cold rice is well preserved, but steaming it many times will reduce its nutrition. Do not reheat rice more than twice. If there is a lot of leftover rice, you can add a little water to the rice cooker, then put the rice in the pot, turn on the cook button for just a few minutes and the rice will be hot again like it was just cooked. Or, you can steam rice in the microwave, put the cold rice in a bowl, cover it loosely. Rice that shows signs of spoilage often has a rancid smell and changes in color, so it should be thrown away because eating it can cause poisoning and digestive disorders.
Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh
Institute of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Hanoi University of Science and Technology
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