How Long Does Rice Last, Anyway?

We’ve reviewed rice cookers (spoiler: we love them) and have tasted everything from basmati to brown rice, long-grain white rice to sushi rice. Dan Souza even dedicated an entire episode of What’s Eating Dan? to it.

Needless to say, we go through a lot of rice. 

But there are times when we might buy in bulk and that bag of rice sits in our pantry for a long time. Or we notice the leftover fried rice that's been sitting in our fridge for a few days longer than we planned.

How do know when it’s time to toss it? We spoke with the experts to find out the answers.

“With proper storage, raw rice is stable for at least one year,” Alexis Peterson, quality systems engineer at Lundberg Family Farms in California, explained. Rather than an expiration date, rice has a “best before” date. Consume your rice before that date for the freshest, most flavorful result.

Store raw rice in a dark, cool (ideally, below 55 degrees Fahrenheit), pest-free location. The refrigerator is a great option. “Moisture and contaminants could cause deterioration,” says Peterson, so store rice in an airtight container. Storing raw rice in the freezer can also extend the shelf life by a few months.

Cooked rice lasts no longer than three to four days in the refrigerator.

According to my colleagues at Cook’s Illustrated, all brown and white rice contains a spore-forming bacteria called Bacillus cereus. These bacterial spores are not killed off during cooking, but are actually converted into potentially harmful live bacteria while the rice cools after cooking.

As the rice sits at room temperature for a few hours (or even if it's stored for too long in the refrigerator), the amount of bacteria will grow.

Cool the rice as rapidly as possible to below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, suggests the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Rice should not sit at room temperature for more than one hour before being eaten or refrigerated. 

When reheating rice, be sure it reaches at least 165 degrees—use an instant-read thermometer to take its temp.

For raw rice, pay attention to the "best before" date on the bag. It may be safe to eat rice after that date, but after that day it can result in rice that “may not cook, smell, or taste quite right,” notes Peterson.

White rice has had the bran (the outer layer of the grain) removed, making it more prone to oxidization. "Oxidization can deteriorate the flavor and alter the texture of the rice, making it mushy instead of maintaining its distinctive bouncy, light, or sticky texture, depending on the variety," said Jun Mattison of The Rice Factory in Scarsdale, New York.

Brown rice still has the bran, which helps to protect it. However, brown rice also contains the germ (an inner, oily portion), which can make it more prone to rancidity.

For cooked rice, stay within the three to four days guidelines. If your rice smells funny or looks slimy, do not eat it and throw it away.