I’m from an Asian country that loves rice, but now that I think about, I’m not actually quite clear what gives rice its longevity. Common wisdom here is as long as it doesn’t get insects, get mold, or otherwise change from being dry it should be fine to cook and eat. Otherwise, it can simply sit in a bag or a storage container without apparently spoiling.
How does it do this? I’m aware that it doesn’t last forever, but it sure stays edible (as long as its uncooked) for longer than I expected.
In: 737
Basically, it comes down to what it means for food to go bad. Food is bad if it’s
A) Got mold or something else growing on it.
B) Got fats in the food that go rancid in open air.
Now, mold and bacteria need water to grow, but uncooked rice has little to no water; so if kept dry, nothing will grow on it
Next, white rice is just brown rice, but with the bran & germ removed. Since that’s where most of the fat is, white rice has very little fat to react with the air.
Tldr: White rice is shelf-stable because it has neither of the things that allow food to spoil. No water for mold, no fat to go rancid. Keep it dry and sealed, and it’s gonna be virtually fine
Latest Answers