Q: Why do I have to put rice in the cooler or refrigerator after I cook it? I am going to stir fry before I serve it.
A: Rice must be either held hot or cold after cooking. Putting rice into the cooler after it is cooked is a good option because cooked rice is a potentially hazardous food product. This means that this is a food that will support the growth of microorganisms that can make people ill. The most common microorganism that can grow in cooked rice is bacillus cereus which is a bacterium that produces spores. Bacillus cereus is commonly found in the soil thus is often associated with plants, cereal and rice. The spores formed by these bacteria are not killed during the cooking process. If the rice is not held at the proper temperature, then these bacteria can grow in numbers, produce spores and even when the rice is re-cooked the spores will still be present in the rice. To prevent people from becoming ill from eating rice contaminated with bacillus cereus, maintain the temperature of food product, hot above 135℃ or cold below 41℃, and cool food products properly, using swallow pans and small amounts of food product.
Q: How do I contact the Health Department?
A: For more information on restaurant inspections, restaurant licensing, or food safety in general, please contact Saint Louis County Department of Health at 314-615-8900 or food.doh@stlouisco.com |
