A condition dubbed "fried rice syndrome" has caused some panic online in recent days, after the case of a 20-year-old who died in 2008 was resurfaced on TikTok.
"Fried rice syndrome" refers to food poisoning from a bacterium called Bacillus cereus, which becomes a risk when cooked food is left at room temperature for too long. The 20-year-old college student died after reportedly eating spaghetti that he cooked, left out of the fridge, and then reheated and ate five days later.
Although death is rare, B. cereus can cause gastrointestinal illness if food isn't stored properly. Here's what to know and how to protect yourself.
@drjoe_md Fried Rice Syndrome is a type of food poisoning caused by the bacteria Bacillus cereus, often associated with improperly stored or reheated fried rice dishes. What’s the longest you’ve left out food that should have been refrigerated but still ate it? I want to know! #foodpoisoning #leftovers #pastalover #friedrice #healthydiet ♬ original sound - Dr. Joe, M.D. 🩺
What is 'fried rice syndrome'?
Bacillus cereus is a common bacterium found all over the environment. It begins to cause problems if it gets into certain foods that are cooked and not stored properly.
Starchy foods like rice and pasta are often the culprits. But it can also affect other foods, like cooked vegetables and meat dishes.
Certain bacteria can produce toxins. The longer food that should be refrigerated is stored at room temperature, the more likely it is these toxins will grow.
B. cereus is problematic because it has a trick up its sleeve that other bacteria don't have. It produces a type of cell called a spore, which is very resistant to heating. So while heating leftovers to a high temperature may kill other types of bacteria, it might not have the same effect if the food is contaminated with B. cereus.