Question

Is it true that uncooked rice contains spores of Bacillus cereus , a bacterium that can cause food poisoning?

Answer 1

Bacillus cereus is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, facultative anaerobic, motile, beta-hemolytic, spore-forming bacteria that can be found in both soil and food. The specific name, cereus, refers to the appearance of colonies growing on blood agar, which means “waxy” in Latin. Some types are dangerous to people and can cause food poisoning, while others can be beneficial to animals as probiotics.

Complete answer:
Bacillus cereus is a gram-positive bacteria that produces toxin and can be found in soil, vegetation, and even food. This can result in two types of intestinal illness: one that causes diarrhea and the other that causes nausea and vomiting.
Bacillus cereus spores, which can cause food poisoning, can be found in uncooked rice. The spores of Bacillus cereus can survive even when rice is cooked. The spores in rice can develop into bacteria if kept at room temperature. These bacteria will multiply and generate toxins (poisons) that will induce vomiting and diarrhea. The longer cooked rice sits at room temperature, the more germs or toxins may develop, making the rice dangerous to ingest. So, it is ideal to serve rice as soon as it has been cooked.
If a person consumes Bacillus cereus bacteria-contaminated rice, he may become ill and experience vomiting or diarrhea one to five hours later. The symptoms are usually modest and linger for roughly a day.

Note:
B. cereus food poisoning is an acute intoxication that occurs when this microorganism produces toxins, resulting in one of two types of gastrointestinal illness: emetic (vomiting) or diarrheal syndrome. B. cereus is a relatively common cause of gastroenteritis around the world. Because B. cereus can develop in food that has been incorrectly stored, appropriate food management, particularly after cooking, can help avoid infections caused by this microbe.