In general, yes, it is safe. However, there are a couple considerations. You could, for instance, simply wash your rice at night, put it in a container, put it in the fridge, then take it out and cook it in the morning. There would be nothing unsafe about that and it would have no undesirable affects on the rice.
New research shows that soaking rice overnight reduces arsenic levels by 80 per cent and reduces the chances of heart diseases, diabetes and cancer. If you're a rice lover you might benefit from this healthier way to cook it.
If you place rice into the fridge soaking in 100% pure water you can leave it for up to 48 hours. Generally, food at room temperature should not be left for more than 2 hours due to the risk of bacteria growing and causing a hazard to health, so be sure to place it in to soak immediately.
(Just don't soak rice for longer than 24 hours: It can start to sprout or ferment.)
Soaking rice prior to cooking—usually 30 minutes is sufficient—provides a few benefits: First, it shortens cooking time as the grains absorb water. Soaking hydrates the grains and consequently the amylose and amylopectin inside the starch granules absorb water and swell.
We carried out some tests with Prof Meharg and found the best technique is to soak the rice overnight before cooking it in a 5:1 water-to-rice ratio. That cuts arsenic levels by 80%, compared to the common approach of using two parts water to one part rice and letting all the water soak in.
Turn off the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for 10 minutes. During this time, the rice will steam for extra fluffy results. Fluff the rice with a fork.
These components determine how much water and how long it takes to soak the rice and cook it to perfection. The recommended amount of time to soak rice might range from 15 minutes to 12 hours, depending on its kind, quality, and age.
When in doubt, throw it out. If the rice had been in the fridge, in water, for 2 days, I would cook and eat it. At room temp, not so much.
To soak: Add rice to a large mixing bowl or pot and cover with twice the amount of lukewarm water (1 cup rice + 2-3 cups water). Soak uncovered at room temperature for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Overnight makes it so you only have to cook the rice for about 15 minutes. Soaking is also good if you are using a fragrant rice like basmati or jasmine. Heat dissipates the fragrance, so the less time it takes to cook, the more aromatic it will be.
Again, your rice water will be good refrigerated for up to 3 days. You can use your rice water as a rinse after you shampoo and condition. Leave it on your hair and scalp for 3-5 minutes and rinse out with cold water for the best results.
Rinsing rice before cooking is an Asian practice to remove dirt, dust and excess starch; but it's actually optional. However, we recommend cooking with a little less water if you rinse, because, without the starch to absorb the bit of extra water, your white rice may turn out too mushy.
If rice is left standing at room temperature, the spores can grow into bacteria. These bacteria will multiply and may produce toxins (poisons) that cause vomiting or diarrhoea. The longer cooked rice is left at room temperature, the more likely it is that the bacteria or toxins could make the rice unsafe to eat.
Rice water contains vitamins and minerals that nourish the hair and scalp and may encourage growth. To make it, let about a cup of rice ferment in two to three cups of water for one day. Use it one to two times per week, and you can expect results within a few weeks or months.
Just be sure to discard the soaking water, and also rinse the rice. If you do want to soak it, I've seen people go anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight. Overnight makes it so you only have to cook the rice for about 15 minutes. Soaking is also good if you are using a fragrant rice like basmati or jasmine.
Once the rice is cooked, the Bacillus cereus bacteria grow and thrive in the moist, warm environment, especially when other bacteria that may have been present initially have been killed by cooking.
However, did you know that improperly prepared fried rice can cause food poisoning? Food poisoning caused by contaminated fried rice is so common globally that the term “fried rice syndrome” was coined to describe it.
Fried rice usually requires the rice to be kept overnight in the refrigerator so that the rice is dry enough to make a good fried rice. On occasions when you don't have time or forgot to cook the rice the day before, use this tip of cooking the rice with around 10% less water than usual.
Soak the Rice: Soaking basmati rice before cooking isn't essential, but in my experience, it produces better results. So don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Soak the rice for just 30 minutes before cooking. This helps the rice absorb some water and helps the grains relax.
Don't Bother It
Similarly, stirring your rice while it cooks will activate the starches and leave you with clumpy, mushy rice. Your rice only needs a quick fluff with a fork once it's finished cooking.
What Happens if You Do Not Rinse the Rice? If you do not rinse the rice, residual starch from the grains will gelatinized during the cooking process and create cooked grains to be of sticky texture. The rice will look more like risotto than the fluffy rice that are served at restaurants.
As Taste of Home explains, it's all because salt is "hydrogenous" and absorbs water from the air fast. Enter rice and its special qualities, which allow it to prevent the salt from getting a chance to absorb any moisture, keeping it loose for sprinkling.
The Australian rice guidelines are for total arsenic (organic and inorganic) and set a maximum level of 1mg/kg. This is more than 3 times higher than the standard for total arsenic set by the World Health Organisation of 0.3mg/kg.