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Old 12-03-2012, 11:29 PM   #1
TwistedAngel
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Default Rice?

I bought some organic, mixed brown and wild rice. Is it safe to give to my hamster uncooked, or do I have to cook it?
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Old 12-04-2012, 06:36 AM   #2
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Default Re: Rice?

I always cook rice per the packet instructions and feed small amounts while it`s fresh. Rice should never be stored afer cooking as it forms bacteria. I cover my cooked rice with a little cold water in a ceramic dish to keep it fresh, but never use it the next day. The wholegrain rice is very good for them. I cook some a few times in a week as an extra addition to their dry food.
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Old 12-04-2012, 08:36 AM   #3
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Default Re: Rice?

I always give cooked rice as rice expands quite a bit! part of my reasoning might just be from the myth that pigeons stomachs explode from eating uncooked rice haha. but I only give rice when I'm eating it anyway so they just get some from my plate.

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Originally Posted by racinghamster View Post
Rice should never be stored afer cooking as it forms bacteria.
really? I didn't know that... my family have always been keeping rice for a couple days after cooking. leftover plain rice is the best for making fried rice! I've even seen recipes from like Jamie Oliver or someone that say to put cooked rice in the fridge overnight for a better result. neither my family or nor I or anyone I've cooked for have suffered any consequences from stored rice. I wouldn't feed it to the hams though, as they have more tender tummies than us.
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Old 12-04-2012, 09:11 AM   #4
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Default Re: Rice?

Rice is a real culprit of food poisoning - here's why, look at the bottom paragraph on this page:

Food Standards Agency - Loving your leftovers

And the top paragraph here:

Food For Fort: The perils of reheated rice | Hard cheese | Cassia oil SOS | Life and style | The Guardian

I always think you have to be really careful with leftover rice for people but I don't know whether it's the same or different for hamsters!
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Old 12-04-2012, 11:28 AM   #5
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Default Re: Rice?

these articles only ever mention rice being left out at room temperature... my family and I always put leftovers, including rice, in the fridge after they've cooled down. I thought that was standard procedure? do people just leave their leftovers out and then eat that? I wouldn't trust any food not put in the fridge.
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Old 12-04-2012, 11:46 AM   #6
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Default Re: Rice?

I got trained in this when i worked at the nursery.... Rice is a major culprit for food poisoning, more so than meat, but mainly because people are less careful with it, and are unaware how much bacteria in can have.

If cooked rice is stored in the fridge, and re-heated properly before use, it shouldn't be a problem. Its just not something you'd want to leave out of the fridge, or eat cold the next day.

Then again, i'm with you cathface, in that this is how i treat all leftover food - well that or freeze it.
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Old 12-04-2012, 03:09 PM   #7
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Default Re: Rice?

I think you're right cathface & Mona's Humans - the stuff I read about rice suggests you can keep it for a short while if you get it in the fridge quickly. I think the real danger is people doing stuff like reheating their Chinese takeaway again the next day after it's been sat out on a work surface overnight in its cardboard container - yuk!
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Old 12-05-2012, 04:12 AM   #8
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Default Re: Rice?

Reading through your comments made me chuckle a bit. (Although, your right. Room temperature food can be bad) As an Asian who has eaten rice all my life I don't really recall ever throwing out rice just for being there over night. Then again we have a rice cooker which keeps the rice warm 24/7. At one point we had a bad rice cooker that kept burning our rice so we had to unplug it. The rice goes bad about 10-12 hours after :/ It's pretty rare that we refridgerate our rice though.
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Old 12-05-2012, 05:38 AM   #9
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Default Re: Rice?

It`s interesting to hear others` views on this and I suspect that many of the health scares are based on keeping cooked rice at room temperature for too long before consuming. I`m sure there are guidelines on cooking and refrigeration/home freezing, but given that cooking a small amount fresh when we reuire it for the hamsters is probably the safest method.
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