Hazard Factors of Bacillus Cereus Food Poisoning in Festive Red Rice

Abstract

  We examined hazard factors of Bacillus cereus food poisoning in festive red rice. Standard plate counts and Bacillus spp. counts in 34 commercial red rice samples, and 29 ingredients (10: cowpeas, 7: adzuki and 12: sesame) were detected. Of the 34 rice samples, four purchased day samples and 8 samples kept at 18℃ for 24 hours were Bacillus spp. positive. Bacillus spp. such as B. cereus, B. mycoides, B. lentus and the unidentified Bacillus were isolated from 2 of 10 cowpea samples, one of 7 adzuki samples and 3 of 12 sesame samples. No bacteria was isolated from sesame heated to 160℃ having 1.5×10⁴ CFU/g of standard plate counts and 5.2×10² CFU/g of Bacillus spp. organisms. The study suggests that some commercial red rice and ingredients have Bacillus spp. contamination, and sesame was one of the high-risk factors of food poisoning in red rice.