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Rice is a superhero of the starch world. Whether you prefer brown, long-grain, or jasmine rice, you can’t deny the ingredient’s versatility. In fact, it’s the staple food for more than half of the globe’s population. But storing cooked and uncooked rice can be complicated, as it can contain spores of Bacillus cereus—a bacterium present in soil that can contaminate the grain during cultivating or harvesting and can survive after the cooking process. So when cooked rice isn’t stored, handled, cooled, or heated properly, the head-resistant bacteria can multiply and cause food poisoning.
How Long Does Rice Last?
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It depends! The USA Rice Federation, a global advocate for all segments of the United States rice industry, says that uncooked white rice can stay fresh indefinitely on the pantry shelf (if stored properly), while whole grain or brown rice only lasts for about six months since it has a higher oil content.
To make sure your rice stays as fresh as possible, store it away from other ingredients in a cool, dry place. Transporting it from the bag to an airtight container will also help protect it from contaminants like moisture and bugs that could cause it to spoil faster.
As for cooked rice, it can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days, and in the freezer for one to two months, according to the USDA Food Safety Guidelines.
How to Tell If Cooked Rice Is Bad
- It smells bad: Freshly cooked rice is fairly odorless—so if it smells funky, sour, or unpleasant in any way, throw it out.
- The grains have an odd texture: Bacteria growth can cause rice to become slimy or mushy. If the grains are hard or crunchy, that probably means it’s been in the fridge for a few days (the longer you store it, the more it’ll dry out).
- The color changed: Throw away rice that has a duller color than when you first cooked it or if there’s any sign of mold (for example, green, blue, or brown spots).
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How to Keep Your Cooked Rice Fresh (and Prevent Bacteria Growth)
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- Don’t leave cooked rice out for more than one to two hours. Put it in the fridge soon after you portion it.
- Be careful with your rice cooker. If you store cooked grains in your rice cooker on the “Keep Warm” setting, make sure it’s at least 150 degrees F (measure it with a food thermometer). If not, portion it into containers and put it in the fridge.
- Make smaller portions. That way you don’t have leftovers!
- Keep an eye on takeout. If you order takeout rice, consume or store it in the refrigerator right away in case it sat out at the restaurant for any period of time.
How to Tell If Uncooked Rice Is Bad
- The grains smell stale. Instead of having a fresh and earthy odor, spoiled raw rice smells sour or musty.
- It’s clumpy or oily. Any variety of raw rice that feels unusually damp to the touch could contain mold, But because brown rices’ bran layer contains oil, it spoils quicker. If your brown rice is extra oily or begins yellowing, that means the oils have turned rancid.
- You see bugs. Any signs of unwanted dinner guests such as weevils or their larvae are signs to put your grains in the garbage bin. Infested grain may have a white, sawdust-like appearance or holes in the packaging—signs of weevil infestation. If you accidentally ate rice contaminated with the bugs, don’t worry! They aren’t harmful (though your appetite for rice will likely be impacted for a while).
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