Producing Cooked Rice Safely

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The Problem with Rice

Cooked rice can cause food poisoning, if left for several hours at room temperature. This is because bacteria in the rice can produce poisons at room temperature, which cannot be destroyed by further cooking or reheating.

The Solution

Never store cooked rice at room temperature. Either: keep it hot at 63 degrees centigrade, or above; or keep it cold, at 8 degrees centigrade or less.

Follow these simple guidelines for handling rice safely.

Storage

Store uncooked rice in pest proof containers with lids.
Do not use old tin cans as scoops - instead, use clean plastic or metal scoops.
Practice good stock control.

Preparation & Cooking

Wash rice thoroughly before cooking and remove any foreign bodies (e.g. stones).
Use clean equipment.
If possible, cook only the quantity required for each service period and throw away leftover rice.

Cooling And Storage

1. Cool quickly

Try to cool cooked rice and place it in the refrigerator within a maximum of 1.5 hours of cooking.

Cooling large quantities of cooked rice may take several hours. To reduce this time to 1.5 hours or less, divide the rice into smaller portions, or into shallow dishes.

2. Store in the fridge

Once cool, cover the rice and store in the fridge until needed.

Cloths and towels should not be used as a cover because they can carry harmful bacteria. Instead, use clean lids, aluminium foil or clingfilm.

Reheating

1. Small quantities

Only remove small amounts of rice from the fridge for the cooking period - enough for about 1 hour.

Keep the rest covered up in the fridge until needed.

2. Breaking up clumps of rice

Rice that has been kept in the fridge may stick together and form clumps. Do not use your hands to break up these clumps. Use clean utensils instead.

3. Reheat thoroughly

Rice must be reheated until it is piping hot throughout. A temperature of 75 degrees centigrade for at least 2 minutes must be reached.

Personal Hygiene

Always wash hands after using the toilet and after handling raw food, rubbish and chemicals. Use hot water and soap.
Cover cuts and abrasions with waterproof plasters, (preferably blue). Keep scaly, weeping or infected skin covered at all times.
Do not work in the kitchen if you have sickness or diarrhoea.
Tell your boss if you had sickness or diarrhoea while on holiday.