Overnight rice can be fatal? Beware of "fried rice syndrome"

Rice is a common staple food, and many people make fried rice with leftover rice. However, if leftover rice is not stored or eaten properly, it may become a "deadly killer."

What is "Fried Rice Syndrome"?

Recently, Mr. Chen (pseudonym), who is in his 50s in Jiangmen, Guangdong, made fried rice with rice that had been refrigerated for several days and soon developed abdominal pain, diarrhea, and breathing difficulties. When he was sent to the hospital, he was in severe shock, and his heart, liver, kidneys and other organs began to fail. After being rescued by ICU medical staff, he was finally out of danger.

After examination, it was found that Mr. Chen suffered from a foodborne disease caused by Bacillus cereus. This bacterium is often found in rice or fried rice that has been left at room temperature for a long time. Therefore, the acute poisoning symptoms caused by it are also called "fried rice syndrome."

There are two types of "fried rice syndrome":

▲Vomiting type

The vomitoxin produced by Bacillus cereus is easily produced in starchy foods such as rice, noodles, and potatoes, and needs to be heated at a high temperature of 126°C for 90 minutes to be removed.

The incubation period of vomiting-type Bacillus cereus poisoning is 0.5 to 6 hours. The main symptoms are nausea and vomiting. In severe cases, it can affect human immunity, damage liver cells, and cause multiple organ failure.

▲ Diarrhea type

The diarrheal enterotoxin produced by Bacillus cereus can be removed by heating at 45°C for 30 minutes or at 56°C for 5 minutes.

The incubation period of diarrheal Bacillus cereus poisoning is 2 to 36 hours, and the main symptoms are abdominal pain and diarrhea.

How to avoid "fried rice syndrome"?

Avoid long-term storage. Especially rice products and other foods that are easy to breed bacteria, it is best to cook and eat them immediately.

Store properly. You can put the food into a food storage bag or fresh-keeping box, and then put it in the refrigerator to refrigerate and store it for a short period of time.

Pay attention to personal hygiene, wash your hands frequently, keep kitchen utensils and tableware clean and hygienic, and avoid cross contamination.

It is best not to eat these 4 types of food overnight

The temperature gradually rises in spring, and bacteria are more likely to grow. It is recommended to cook and eat food immediately, and try to avoid eating it overnight. Remember that the refrigerator is not a "safe".

▲Seafood

Seafood such as crabs, fish, shrimps, and shellfish are all high-protein foods. After being left overnight, protein degradation products will appear, which may irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa, cause gastrointestinal discomfort, and easily damage liver and kidney function.

▲Green leafy vegetables

After green leafy vegetables are cooked, if they are left for a long time or stored improperly, a large amount of nitrite will be easily produced.

The Zhejiang Ningbo Food Inspection Institute conducted an experiment and found that after celery, lettuce, water spinach and other green leafy vegetables were fried and stored at room temperature of 25 degrees Celsius, the nitrite content reached an astonishing 0.1g/kg after 24 hours. Generally, 0.2g of nitrite ingested by adults can cause poisoning.

▲Soy milk

Fresh soy milk is not easy to preserve, and generally a large number of bacteria may grow within 3 to 4 hours. It is recommended to drink soy milk immediately after cooking, and avoid leaving it overnight.

▲ Tremella, mushrooms and other fungi

It is recommended not to eat overnight white fungus and mushrooms as much as possible. Improper soaking and storage may produce bacterium toxins, which will cause symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea after consumption.

Keke reminds: Try to avoid eating overnight food. If you experience abdominal pain, diarrhea or other discomfort after eating it, seek medical attention immediately.