Can Rice Make You Sick? The Suprising Answer Revealed

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

Caroline joined Boston-based SmarterTravel in 2011 after living in Ireland, London, and Manhattan. She's traveled to all seven continents, jumped out of planes, and bungeed off bridges in the pursuit of a good story. She loves exploring off-the-beaten path destinations, anything outdoorsy, and all things adventure.

Her stories have also appeared online at USA Today, Business Insider, Huffington Post, Yahoo, Boston.com, TripAdvisor, Buzzfeed, Jetsetter, Oyster, Airfarewatchdog, and others.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "Earplugs. A good pair has saved my sleep and sanity many times!"

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro.

Travel Motto: "Don't be boring."

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle (when the first class private suite isn't available)."

E-mail her at [email protected].

See recent posts by Caroline Morse Teel

It’s present on nearly every buffet, piled in fluffy mounds. It’s the bland food you’re told to eat when you have an upset stomach. But it can be really dangerous if not kept at the correct temperature. Yes, it may be surprising, but rice can make you sick.

Uncooked rice can contain a bacteria called Bacillus cereus, which can sometimes survive the cooking process. According to FoodSafety.gov, if rice is not kept at 140 degrees when it is left out for two hours or longer, any remaining bacteria can multiply and make you sick if you eat that rice.

Symptoms will set in quickly (anywhere from 30 minutes to 15 hours after eating) and can cause vomiting and diarrhea. You’ll be sick for about 24 hours if you fall victim to Bacillus cereus.

Rice at a buffet — kanpisut | Adobe Stock

Bad Buffet Warning Signs

I asked Janilyn Hutchings, a Certified Professional in Food Safety, what signs to watch for at a buffet to make sure the food you’re eating is safe. Hutchings advises to look for these three red flags:

Food that’s supposed to be hot isn’t hot.
Food that’s supposed to be cold is thawing or melting.
Buffet workers put new food on top of old food instead of replacing an entire container of old food with a new container of fresh food.

Which Foods Should You Avoid at Buffets

Rice falls into the category of Time or Temperature Control for Safety Foods (TCS). According to Hutchings, these are foods that have high carbohydrate and protein levels, are neutral or slightly acidic, and contain moisture. Other foods in this category that you’re likely to find on the buffet include sliced melons, cut greens, and meat.

You Might Also Like:

• 9 Over-the-Counter Medications You Should Pack for Every Trip
• Everything You Need to Know About Visiting a Travel Clinic
• Cancel for Any Reason Insurance, Explained
• What Not to Do When Exiting a Plane During an Emergency
• SmarterTravel Spotlight: Canyon Ranch, Lenox MA

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.