Exact Answer: Up to 5 days
Rice is a very common staple ingredient that can be used in many dishes. There are many types of rice available in the market. The shelf life of rice in the refrigerator would be around 4 to 5 days. The shelf life of the rice in the freezer can go around 6 to 8 months. The shelf life of dry rice is more than the of cooked rice.
There are many other factors that would affect the shelf life of rice inside and outside the fridge. Some of the rice found in grocery stores are basmati, jasmine, brown, and white. The shelf rice of each rice in the cold temperature would be longer than the hot temperature.
How Long Can Rice Last In The Fridge?
| Rice | Time |
| In hours | 120 hours |
| In days | 5 days |
The lasting of rice depends on its storage and cooking process. If the rice is steamed, then it can last for around 5 days in the fridge. If the rice is fried, then it may not last after 5 days. Sometimes, the ingredients mixed with rice may get spoiled faster. This will make the rice go bad very early.
The brown rice has more content of fat as it is not milled. The higher oil content in brown rice would decrease the shelf life of the rice. The chances of brown rice becoming rancid is higher in the case of brown rice. The stability of rice is more in dry form without any cooking process. The rice can be stored at room temperature for months.
The shelf-stable food such as rice will have a manufacturing and expiry date. The expiry date of the brown or white rice will be given on the backside of the packaging. The shelf life of rice would also depend on the manufacturer or different brands of rice. Sometimes, the rice can be eaten or used even after the expiry date.
The person should make sure the rice has not signed for deterioration or degradation of quality. Eating spoiled rice would cause food poisoning and diarrhea.
Why Can Rice Last This Long In The Fridge?
The dry or cooked rice would start showing signs of spoilage. Finding out if the dry rice has gone bad or not is extremely easy. Some of the signs are:
The outer packaging of the rice would start developing mold growth.
The packaging of the rice would have moisture or dampness.
The outer packing would have small holes.
The presence of water inside the packing of rice is a big sign of rice spoilage.
The brown rice would smell differently after the expiry time. The rice would get discolored with a change in texture. The brown rice would get oily in texture after the shelf life is over.
If someone wants to increase the shelf life of rice, then try to avoid moisture contact with it. Keeping the rice inside an air-tight sealed container is vital. The ice should be kept inside the cupboard or any dry area of the storage place or kitchen. Proper storage will prevent bugs or water in the rice.
After 5 days, the flavors of the rice would get changed. The texture of the rice would get becoming harder when kept in the fridge for a long time. The person can know that the cooked rice is gone badly if the smell comes from the rice. Generally, the cooked rice has no smell, but spoiled rice would have an odor.
The fluffiness of the cooked rice would get reduced and come slimy.
Conclusion
There are some bacteria such as Bacillus cereus that are found to produce toxins in rice if not stored in the fridge. Spoiled rice would not be a good choice for the body. As it may cause unpleasant symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, and cancer in some cases.
The fungi contamination is very common in expired or spoiled rice. Rice should not be consumed for more than 5 days to avoid bacterial and other infections.
References
I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️
