What is 'Fried Rice Syndrome', a condition that food experts warn about?

“Fried Rice Syndrome” is back in the news. This particular type of food poisoning, which has an oddly tempting name, is now grabbing attention for the second time after a 15-year-old instance of the condition returned on social media. A 20-year-old student from Belgium was reported to have died in 2008 after consuming noodles that he had left unattended for five days. The incident was linked to a toxin produced by the bacteria Baccilus cereus. When food is left ignored for long periods of time, this bacterium can multiply. Since eating leftover food is customary, the incident has now caused anxiety in the public. What is Fried Rice Syndrome? Fried rice syndrome refers to food poisoning caused by Bacillus cereus, a common bacteria found all over the environment. According to The Conversation, it causes problems if it gets into certain foods that are cooked and not stored properly. Today.com quoted Dr Cynthia Sears, a food-borne infection expert and professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University, as saying that the term “fried rice syndrome” originates from the first documented cases connected to cooked white rice that wasn’t refrigerated and was subsequently used to make fried rice dishes at restaurants. According to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), B. cereus thrives well in pre-cooked starchy foods like rice and pasta, and its ideal growth temperature range is between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, called the “danger zone.” If leftovers are cooked to a high temperature, Bacillus cereus can still develop spores, a form of cell that is resistant to heat. The toxins that these spores can create can then sicken humans. “We’ve known about it for a long time. This organism is very common in the environment, and it’s naturally occurring in soil, vegetation, and in a range of plant and animal food products,” Robert Gravani, Ph.D., professor emeritus of food science at Cornell University told Today. What are its symptoms? Food poisoning can be caused by the bacteria B. cereus. There are two types of B. cereus infections: the vomiting type and the diarrhoeic type. Most people get well within a few days, but those with weak immune systems could require medical care. It is challenging to determine the frequency of Bacillus cereus because the symptoms resemble those of other gastrointestinal disorders. How is it treated? Usually, the syndrome goes away on its own without any specific medication. On the other hand, intravenous fluids may be necessary for hydration in cases of severe vomiting or diarrhoea. Robert Gravani, Ph.D., professor emeritus of food science at Cornell University, who spoke with Today, stated that people with underlying medical issues or immunocompromised individuals are more susceptible to catastrophic sickness and repercussions from a B. cereus infection. What preventive measures can be taken? First and foremost, avoid eating leftovers to avoid getting food poisoning. Reduce the amount of time they spend in the danger zone, which is above refrigerator temperature and below 60 degrees Celsius, if the above mentioned option isn’t feasible. Cook leftovers ahead of time. To speed up the cooling process, divide large amounts into smaller portions. Refrigerate immediately. Don’t constantly remove leftovers from the refrigerator. If leftovers are kept in the refrigerator for longer than four days, do not eat them. Throw it out if you’re unsure. How did the 20-year-old student die? In 2011, the Journal of Clinical Microbiology published a case report on the death. According to the report, the student in Belgium passed away after consuming tomato sauce leftovers that he had cooked five days earlier and had left out at room temperature on the kitchen counter rather than refrigerated. His gastrointestinal issues and serious vomiting occurred shortly after he finished eating the pasta and reheated it. The otherwise healthy young man was found dead the following morning. He developed acute liver failure, according to an autopsy, and tests on the pasta found high levels of Bacillus cereus. With inputs from agencies