Exact Answer : 3 to 4 Days
Rice is an extremely filling meal with any kind of dish. It is a staple in many countries and cultures across the world. Most of the time while cooking rice, some of it is leftover. There is a myth about leftover rice that it cannot be eaten after some time. It is a completely wrong statement.
Leftover rice or cooked rice if stored in the fridge can be in eatable condition for the next 3 to 4 days. However, the cooked and uncooked life shelf of the rice is quite different from each other.
How Long Does Rice Last In The Fridge?
Rice serve with some savory curry dishes in many places of the world. In many countries, Rice is a meal in itself. It is one of the easiest meals to cook. Sometimes after eating lunch or dinner, you may have some leftover rice. Don’t throw them, you can eat them later by storing them in the fridge.
If cooked rice left at room temperature for more than 2 hours then harmful kind of bacteria starts growing. The growing bacteria can cause many harmful diseases as well as food poisoning bacteria. So, it is important to store your leftover cooked rice in the fridge. If you will store cooked rice in the fridge, it can last for 3-4 days.
To keep your rice fresh and delicious, store it in an air-tight container. Air-tight containers or sealed bags will help in sustaining the rice’s shelf life for a long time. There are several varieties of rice available in the market or grocery store. Brown rice, white rice, wild rice, etc. Every individual likes to eat as per their taste and preference. The below-given table will help you out in storing different types of rice for a long time.
Type Of Rice | In The Fridge |
Cooked White Rice | 3 to 4 days |
Cooked Brown Rice | 3 to 4 days |
Cooked Wild Rice | 4 to 6 days |
Uncooked White Rice | N/A |
Uncooked Brown Rice | 6 to 12 months |
Uncooked Wild Rice | N/A |
Why Does Rice Last Long In The Fridge?
Rice is one of the main food sources for over half of the world’s population. The USDA states stored cooling rice cooling to 70 degrees F within two hours and from 70 degrees F to 40 degrees F for an additional four hours. The best temperature in the fridge to store rice is at 70 degrees F.
After some time, the bacteria started growing on every food item which is left at room temperature. Putting it in the fridge, the temperature of the fridge will slow down their growth. That is why rice remains fresh and bacteria-free for 3 to 4 days.
It is essential to store rice in the fridge because rice has cooked in the water. Rice is an extremely moist food. Leaving it at room temperature for a long time can give all the dangerous bacteria a platform to grow. It is more alert for those who live in warm temperatures. The main purpose of storing rice for its later use.
So, don’t mistake by keeping it out from the fridge. Otherwise, it will be of no use and go to the bin. Before shifting it to an air-tight container, let it stay cool for some time. Close it and you have done it.
Conclusion
We all know that rice is a versatile food that can go with any other food dish. Also, white rice has a low moisture content which makes its life shelf more long-lasting. But on the other hand, brown rice has entirely different characteristics. It is less treated than white rice.
One can easily store rice in an air-tight container in the fridge for many days. Make sure when you take out the stored rice, you check their state. If it has a strange smell, slimy or dry, then avoid consuming it. It may lead to some fatal illnesses. Store it properly, you don’t have to face any such issue.