The problem refers to food poisoning caused by a type of bacterium that forms spores that release harmful toxins.
Fried rice syndrome, a type of food poisoning caused by bacteria Bacillus cereus. This type of food poisoning, with the ironically delicious name, gained prominence when a death from the syndrome 15 years ago resurfaced thanks to social media. The condition gained momentum again after TikTok user @jpall20 posted a now-viral video recalling the story of a young man who died after eating pasta left out of the refrigerator for five days.
Death from fried rice syndrome
The case was originally published as a case report Journal of Clinical Microbiology in 2011. In the report, researchers describe a 20-year-old Belgian student who died suddenly in 2008 after eating leftover spaghetti with tomato sauce, which he had cooked five days earlier and left on the kitchen counter at room temperature to be stored in the refrigerator.
Shortly after heating and eating the pasta, he became ill with severe vomiting and gastrointestinal symptoms. The next morning, the healthy young man was found dead. An autopsy revealed he had acute liver failure and tests revealed large amounts of bacteria Bacillus cereus in the dough. Although the exact cause of death was not determined because the autopsy was delayed, evidence pointed to bacteria as the most likely cause, the report authors wrote.
Eating pasta left out of the refrigerator for five days may seem unappetizing to most people, but Bacillus cereus – also known as “fried rice syndrome” – are not uncommon. An infection can also develop after eating food kept at room temperature for much shorter periods of time, even just a few hours.
What is fried rice syndrome?
Fried rice syndrome refers to food poisoning caused, as has been said, by Bacillus cereusa type of bacterium that forms spores that release harmful toxins, said Robert Gravani, professor emeritus of food sciences at Cornell University Today. People become infected when they eat food contaminated with the bacteria, causing diarrhea and vomiting. In severe cases, an intestinal infection can cause acute liver failure and death.
This has been known for a long time. This organism is very common in the environment and is found naturally in soil, vegetation, and various plant and animal food products. Intestinal infections caused by Bacillus cereus They are common in many countries and often mild, Gravani says. The illness often occurs when contaminated food is not properly cooled and left at room temperature for long periods of time, allowing the bacteria and their spores to multiply to dangerous levels, Gravani explains. The spores are heat resistant and can survive in foods cooked at temperatures that kill many other bacteria. It can only take a few hours for this to happen, which is why the recommendation is to refrigerate foods within two hours of cooking.
The foods that lead to fried rice syndrome were already contaminated B. cereus before being cooked and left out of the refrigerator. Initial contamination usually comes from the environment or from cross-contamination during harvesting, handling or cooking. Bacillus cereus As a result, it thrives on pre-cooked starchy foods such as rice and pasta, and optimal growth occurs between 4 and 60 degrees Celsius.
The name “fried rice syndrome” comes from the first documented cases linked to unrefrigerated cooked white rice and later used to prepare fried rice dishes in restaurants. Basically, the rice is cooked and then held at an inappropriate temperature, hot enough to germinate the spores… and the spores produce what’s called a heat-stable toxin. Heating food does not kill or deactivate toxins or spores that can make you sick, experts stress.
According to doctors, the name “fried rice syndrome” is a bit of a misnomer. Although the bacterium is commonly associated with rice and pasta, it can also contaminate vegetables, meat and dairy products. Rarely, the Bacillus cereus it can cause non-intestinal infections that affect other parts of the body, such as the eyes, and cause sores.
Intestinal infections caused by Bacillus cereus They are common in several countries and are often mild. To give you an idea, approximately 63,400 cases occur in the United States each year, according to the Cleveland Clinic. A study conducted in 2020, at the Centers for Disease Control in China, highlighted the B. Waxy as the fourth most responsible for food contamination episodes in the country between 2003 and 2017. Between 2010 and 2020, more than 400 outbreaks of the bacterium occurred in Chinese territory, with 7,892 cases and five deaths.
Symptoms of Fried Rice Syndrome
Bacillus cereus It causes two forms of gastrointestinal disease, a vomiting syndrome and a diarrheal syndrome, which is the most common. They have different symptoms and incubation periods, and each type is associated with different foods.
Vomiting (emetic) syndrome.
It occurs when the organism grows on food and produces the toxin, then the person consumes the toxin and becomes ill. It is most commonly associated with rice, according to the Cleveland Clinic, but is also linked to pasta, potatoes, sweets, sushi and cheese. The incubation time is very short and symptoms usually begin one to six hours after eating the contaminated food. These include nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Diarrhea may occur, but vomiting usually predominates.
Diarrheal syndrome (enterotoxin)
It appears when a person ingests food contaminated only by the bacterium or its spores. The spores germinate in the stomach and the toxins are released into the intestine. Foods associated with the type of diarrheal infection Bacillus cereus include meats, vegetables, soups, stews and sauces. The incubation period is longer and often takes six to 15 hours before symptoms develop, experts note. These include watery diarrhea and abdominal cramps.
How to treat
Although fried rice syndrome is unpleasant, in most cases it goes away on its own without any specific medication. In normal, healthy people, it usually clears up in about 24 hours. Treatment involves supportive care, including plenty of rest and fluids. In severe cases of vomiting or diarrhea, a person may need intravenous fluids to maintain hydration. People who are immunocompromised or have underlying health problems are more likely to develop severe disease. In the case of the healthy 20-year-old man in the case report, doctors hypothesize that the five-day period allowed bacteria to grow to extremely high numbers and produce deadly levels of toxins in dough left unrefrigerated for five days. .
How to prevent fried rice syndrome
You can reduce your risk of getting the infection by cooking, cooling and storing food properly. Experts recommend taking the following measures, which will also help prevent illnesses caused by other foodborne pathogens:
-Thoroughly cook all foods to a safe internal temperature.
-Eat cooked foods as quickly as possible.
-Keep food warm until ready to serve
-Refrigerate all cooked or perishable foods within two hours and ensure the refrigerator is set to 4°C or colder.
-If the room temperature is above 32ºC, leftovers should be refrigerated after one hour.
-Divide leftovers into small containers to help them cool faster
-Reheat leftovers to a high temperature before eating.
-Do not eat leftovers left in the refrigerator for more than four days.
-When in doubt it is best to throw the food away.
Source: Today
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
