Leftovers can kill: Fried rice syndrome and the food poisoning bacteria you have never heard of

We’ve all been there—ordering in, cooking extra, and saving that delicious fried rice for the next day. But what if that seemingly harmless leftover meal could be a ticking time bomb?
In a tragic case reported in Belgium, in 2008, a young adult died suddenly after consuming rice contaminated with Bacillus cereus. The individual had eaten fried rice that had been left at room temperature for several days. Within hours of consumption, he experienced severe symptoms and died. This is based on information from the study “Sudden Death of a Young Adult Associated with Bacillus cereus Food Poisoning” published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.
“On 1 October 2008, a 20-year-old man became sick after eating a meal of leftovers of spaghetti with tomato sauce, which had been prepared 5 days before and left in the kitchen at room temperature. After school, he warmed the spaghetti in the microwave oven. Immediately after eating, he left home for his sports activities, but he returned 30 min later because of headache, abdominal pain, and nausea. At his arrival, he vomited profusely for several hours and at midnight had two episodes of watery diarrhea. He did not receive any medication and drank only water. After midnight, he fell asleep. The next morning at 11:00 AM, his parents were worried because he did not get up. When they went to his room, they found him dead,” the report says.

Fried rice syndrome

A few years later, an American ER doctor, Joe Whittington decided to create awareness around this common practice of handling food. He took to TikTok to share a video where he cautioned people to not eat pasta and rice dishes that have not been refrigerated properly.
“This 20-year-old man died of a condition that’s commonly referred to as ‘fried rice syndrome’. This is a condition in which you have bacterial overgrowth if pasta or rice is left at room temperature for too long. In medical school, we’re taught the phrase ‘Reheat rice? Be serious!’ to remember which bacteria [b. cereus] causes this condition. So, how long is too long? You should not eat pasta or rice left at room temperature, unrefrigerated, for more than two hours,” Express UK quoted him.

Tips to handle leftover rice and pasta

Bacillus cereus is a type of bacteria commonly found in soil and on raw foods. It thrives in starchy foods like rice, pasta, and potatoes. When these foods are cooked and then left at room temperature, B. cereus can multiply rapidly, producing toxins that cause food poisoning. “A broad range of foods have been implicated as vehicles of B. cereus. These include boiled or fried rice, cooked vegetables and meats, pasta, vanilla sauce, custards, casseroles, pastries, salads, soups, ice cream, and herbs and spices,” USDA NIFA has said.
While Bacillus cereus food poisoning is often mild and resolves without treatment, the potential for severe illness or death as in the case cited above exists, especially if food is mishandled. By following simple food safety practices, you can enjoy your leftovers without worry. Remember, when it comes to food safety, it’s always better to be cautious than sorry. Preventing B. cereus food poisoning is straightforward with proper food handling practices: