Is It Safe to Eat Raw or Uncooked Rice?

Rice is a staple food for more than half the world's population. Rice needs to be cooked to kill any pathogens like bacteria or parasites that may reside in and on the food.

Rice is one of the most common types of food worldwide. It’s a staple food for more than half the world’s population, and it’s easy to understand why. Rice is versatile, inexpensive, and easy to cook. That last part is especially important because you shouldn’t eat raw or uncooked rice.

Raw or uncooked rice is not safe to eat for two specific reasons. The first is that rice can harbor bacteria that can cause food poisoning. The other is that it contains a protein that your body can’t digest, and this protein can cause several problems for your body. Luckily, these issues can all be fixed by properly cooking and storing rice.

Many types of food need to be cooked to kill any pathogens like bacteria or parasites that may reside in and on the food. Rice is no exception. Like meat, rice needs to be cooked before consumption to reduce the risk of food poisoning. 

The pathogen that is most likely to infect rice is a bacteria called Bacillus cereus. Bacillus cereus forms toxic spores that cause food poisoning.

Signs of Bacillus cereus food poisoning include:

• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Stomach cramps
• Vomiting

Typically, individuals with Bacillus cereus food poisoning will have either diarrhea or vomiting, but not both. Symptoms of this type of food poisoning usually start from one to six hours after eating the rice. 

The Bacillus cereus spores are activated by heat, so food poisoning most commonly occurs when the rice has been cooked and then sits too long at room temperature, allowing the spores to multiply and thrive. Rice that has been cooked should be eaten immediately, or else it should be placed in the refrigerator. Raw rice may also contain these toxins, so it should not be eaten either. 

Other foods that can cause Bacillus cereus food poisoning include:

• Dairy
• Fish (including sushi)
• Meat
• Pasta
• Pastries
• Potatoes
• Sauces
• Soups and stews
• Vegetables

Food poisoning due to Bacillus cereus is very common, and it’s estimated that there are about 63,400 cases of Bacillus cereus poisoning in the U.S. each year. Most of the time, Bacillus cereus poisoning goes away on its own once the poison gets through the body, usually after about 24 hours or so. 

However, some people may require IV fluids to rehydrate them after severe diarrhea or vomiting. When dealing with Bacillus cereus poisoning, the most important thing is to stay hydrated and get rest.

Bacillus cereus can also cause problems outside your gastrointestinal tract if the spores get into other areas of your body. Most commonly, it affects the eyes, respiratory systems, or open wounds.

While food poisoning from Bacillus cereus usually isn’t life-threatening, it’s still unpleasant. Cooking rice gets rid of some of the spores, but not all of them, and once the rice drops to room temperature, the spores start to reproduce and thrive. Taking the following steps while cooking can help you avoid Bacillus cereus poisoning from rice, though:

• Cook your rice all the way through.
• Serve cooked rice right away.
• Leftovers should be put in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator within an hour of cooking.
• Refrigerator temperatures should be below 41°F (5°C).
• Reheat leftover rice within one day of cooking.
• All reheated rice should be steaming hot.
• Do not reheat rice more than once.

Raw rice, as well as other plants and whole grains, contain lectins. Lectins are a type of protein that bind to carbohydrates. In nature, they’re meant to protect a plant from predators. When eaten by humans, they can cause negative side effects and gastrointestinal distress.  

The human gut can’t break down lectin, and this protein can survive just fine in the acidic environment of the stomach. Eating foods with lectin, then, can cause gastrointestinal distress.

The dangers of lectins don’t end there, though. Lectins are sometimes called “anti-nutrients” because they prevent the body from absorbing and using certain minerals. These include:

• Calcium
• Iron
• Phosphorus
• Zinc

These are all nutrients that your body needs. Consuming lectin prevents your body from getting these nutrients, which can cause a nutrient deficiency.

When lectin binds to the cells within your digestive tract, it also disrupts your intestinal flora: the bacteria in your intestinal tract that help break down food. This makes it hard for your body to break down and absorb nutrients, including carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins.

Lectin may also damage your internal organs and tissues, even affecting your immune system. Because lectins can bind to your cells for a long time, they can cause an autoimmune reaction, potentially leading to conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes.

The good news is that lectin poisoning isn’t very common. Often, cooking will neutralize lectins. Lectins are most dangerous when they’re raw, but most of the foods that contain them are typically cooked before eating. You can reduce your risk of lectin damage by cooking your rice and any other lectin-containing foods thoroughly.

Note that brown rice has higher amounts of lectin than white rice, so be extra sure to cook brown rice. 

Additionally, those with underlying digestive conditions, like irritable bowel syndrome, may be more likely to feel the ill effects of lectin consumption. 

Raw rice can cause major issues for your body. Luckily, these hazards, like food poisoning, will typically go away if you cook and serve the rice properly. Besides, no one wants to pick crunchy, raw rice out of their teeth anyway.