It may be a bit anal, but here is some basic stuff from F&H sources
The Symptoms
Symptoms with the diarrhoeal toxin are nausea, cramplike abdominal pains and watery diarrhoea, beginning 8 to 16 hours after eating and are related to the lower intestine. With the emetic toxin the symptoms are more severe and acute and are nausea and vomiting beginning 1 to 6 hours after eating and are related mainly to the upper intestine.
The diagnosis is confirmed by a laboratory test on a faecal specimen.
The illness occurs when people swallow the bacteria or spores formed by them which then multiply and produce toxin in the intestine, or from eating the toxin already produced in food, e.g rice.
Reducing the Risk
Bacillus cereus exists in normal bacterial and spore forms in foods. The normal form is inactivated by cooking, but most illness is a result of the multiplication of spores during inadequate refrigeration of moist cooked protein foods and
rice. Because cooking often kills competing bacteria and heat activates the Bacillus cereus spores, storing large masses of cooked food between 4 deg C and 60 deg C can allow the bacteria to multiply.
(Your fridge is probably operating at 8 degrees Celsius !!!!)Preventive measures that can be taken to help avoid the illness include:
Ensuring adequate temperatures are reached during cooking of food mixes such as sauces, custards, and soups to inactivate the bacteria.
(80 degrees C is the minimum, and take note this is for deactivation not killing the blighters)Keeping cooked hot foods above 60 deg C (preferably 70 deg C) if not served immediately.
(Health & Hygiene regulations state the maximum length of time that rice can be stored at this temperature is 4 hours)Ensuring the rapid cooling of cooked food by dividing into smaller lots and refrigerating in shallow containers (less than 10cm deep).
Storing cold foods at or below 4 deg C to prevent toxin being produced.
Avoiding storing protein-containing foods with cooked rice because this stimulates the growth of Bacillus cereus.
Reheating foods to 75 deg C or until steaming hot, as flash frying or brief rewarming is not adequate to destroy the toxin.
(Please note)Preventing cross-contamination from raw to cooked foods (by using separate preparation areas or sanitising between processes).
Thoroughly washing fruit and vegetables and rice with clean water of drinking standard (potable) before use.
Ensuring food handlers have good personal hygiene and adequate food safety training.
Try these links
Food Standards Agency (UK)
http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/asksam/keepingfoodsafe/asksamcooking/http://www.food.gov.uk/ Just search on keywords Baccillus Cereus and Rice
quote:
And that is:- if it tastes and smells good, then it's OKA very dangerous assumption, you will not know in any way the rice is not fit for consumption.
Anyway I hope this clarifies. And please everyone don't lets have another episode as before.
:
:-[ ;D Everyone has a personal choice.
I will say however that if you ever suffer from the effects of BC you will never take risks with cooking rice; I know I have been there and hospitalised (not my cooking :
I think it was that BIR in Bedford
).
One last point; if you are taking any medicines for reflux or severe indigestion (not Rennies and the like) you are at greater risk.
CP
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