Eating rice left in the refrigerator for many days, the man suffered multiple organ failure

According to reports from Guangming DailyMr. Chen, residing in Jiangmen City, Guangdong, suddenly had abdominal pain, diarrhea and severe shortness of breath right after a meal made from cold rice stored in the refrigerator for many days.

When taken to the emergency hospital, the patient was in a state of severe shock with signs of multi-organ failure including the heart, liver and kidneys. Through efforts to save his life from the medical team, Mr. Tran was fortunate to escape the scythe of death.

Test results showed that Mr. Tran had food poisoning caused by Bacillus cereus bacteria. This type of bacteria is often found in starchy foods such as rice, fried rice, noodles or potatoes left at room temperature for long periods of time, so this bacterial infection is also called “fried rice syndrome”.

Poisoning caused by Bacillus cereus bacteria is mainly divided into two forms: vomiting and diarrhea. The toxin that causes vomiting often appears in starchy foods such as rice and can survive up to 90 minutes even in high temperature environments above 120 degrees Celsius. The incubation period of this form is quite short, only from 30 minutes to 6 hours, with typical symptoms being nausea and vomiting. In severe cases, the toxin can cause liver damage and lead to multiple organ failure.

Besides, many families have the habit of plugging in the electricity to keep food warm continuously all day in the rice cooker. However, keeping food warm for more than 4 hours also poses many risks in terms of food safety and hygiene. Rice cookers only maintain a temperature of about 60 to 70 degrees Celsius, while the temperature inside the pot is often unevenly distributed, causing the food layer on top to easily drop below 60 degrees Celsius.

This state accidentally pushes food into the “danger temperature zone” from 5 to 60 degrees Celsius as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). This is an ideal condition for dangerous bacteria such as E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus to multiply rapidly, so consumers should not continue to use this food.

To prevent the risk of poisoning, medical experts emphasize the golden rule: food should be enjoyed immediately after preparation. Leftover food should be immediately stored in a sealed container or specialized bag and put in the refrigerator. At the same time, it must be consumed in the shortest time and reheated thoroughly before eating.

Finally, cleaning kitchen equipment plays an equally important blocking role. Consumers need to regularly unplug and clean three important positions of the rice cooker including the steam valve, rubber gasket and heating plate. These are hidden corners that easily trap moisture, food residue and broth, creating a huge reservoir of bacteria if ignored. Keeping the heating plate always dry and clean not only eliminates pathogens but also maintains heat transfer efficiency, minimizing the risk of electrical fires in the family.