How to store cooked rice

How to tell cooked rice has gone bad

• Cooked rice is a leftover. The USDA FoodKeeper table above gives 4 to 6 days in the fridge; the general FSIS rule for cooked food is 3 to 4 days, so treat 4 days as the safe habit.
• Rice can carry Bacillus cereus spores that survive cooking and grow if the rice sits warm. Get it into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking, spread thin so it cools fast.
• Mould, a slimy surface or a sour smell means it goes out. The bacteria that matter here do not change the look or smell, so time in the fridge is the real limit.
• Reheat only the portion you will eat, to 165 F (74 C). Reheating and cooling the same rice several times takes it through the temperatures where bacteria grow.

Sources: Ask FSIS: how long will cooked food stay safe in the refrigerator; Leftovers and Food Safety (USDA FSIS); Safety of Leftover Rice (NC State Extension). The times on this page are quality guidelines, not safety limits; food that shows these signs goes out regardless of the date.

Storage habits that make the difference

Refrigerate deli and prepared foods within two hours of purchase or cooking, in shallow covered containers for faster cooling. Use most within three to four days, and reheat leftovers until steaming hot before eating. Freeze portions you will not finish in time, and label them clearly with the date.