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Old rice- can I use it

(42 Posts)
nanna8 Mon 10-Jun-24 06:44:17

Sorting out the pantry I found an unopened packet of rice dated Dec 2022. Should I chuck it or is it safe to use ? It has been kept dry and is Arborio rice. It looks fine and I hate wasting things but not sure if it is ok or not.

Calendargirl Mon 10-Jun-24 06:46:24

Use it, it will be fine.

Oopsadaisy1 Mon 10-Jun-24 07:08:15

Let’s see if a bump works

argymargy Mon 10-Jun-24 07:09:58

Rice will keep for millennia.

BlueBelle Mon 10-Jun-24 07:11:20

Of course it ll be fine

Astitchintime Mon 10-Jun-24 07:16:36

I made a risotto recently with some out of date arborio rice and it did have a bit of a twang to it - rather like when biscuits are stale and just don't taste right. Still here to share the story though so it didn't do us any harm.

nanna8 Mon 10-Jun-24 08:20:45

Yes, a risotto is what I want to make with it. I’ll put plenty of flavouring in !

keepingquiet Mon 10-Jun-24 08:55:19

It is safer than reheating cooked rice, apparently. Rinse it well first until the water is clear.

We had a similar thread not so long ago.

flappergirl Mon 10-Jun-24 09:13:30

Yes, it'll be fine.

Luckygirl3 Mon 10-Jun-24 09:19:06

Dry rice out of date is fine: cooked rice is dodgy and should be eaten up asap.

Ziplok Mon 10-Jun-24 09:46:50

Yes, I agree, it should be fine. It might smell a bit stale, but on the other hand, you say it is still sealed so I doubt that it will taste or smell stale.

I used some up that had been opened for ages a while ago, probably 2 years, and it was fine, just had a very slight stale smell, but nothing to affect the dish - but as I say, that rice had been opened (though stored in a lidded container), which might account for the slightly stale smell.

RosiesMaw Mon 10-Jun-24 10:47:13

argymargy

Rice will keep for millennia.

🤣🤣🤣The contents of my kitchen cupboard will attest to that!

Baggs Mon 10-Jun-24 10:57:23

Yes

Baggs Mon 10-Jun-24 10:59:32

Rice doesn't need a use-by date. It'll keep until weevils get in and you can still cook it and eat them as well – more protein!

nanna8 Mon 10-Jun-24 11:05:15

If I saw a weevil that would be the end of it! The other night I saw a big black cockroach just near the back door. I couldn’t help it- I screamed my lungs out. Nasty,horrible, yucky things.🪳🪳

crazyH Mon 10-Jun-24 11:10:43

I was about to throw away a packet of rice that was infested with weevils. My visiting friend suggested washing it … the weevils would rise to the top. Then throw away the water with the weevils and you’re good to go.

Norah Mon 10-Jun-24 12:49:15

Yes.

cc Thu 13-Jun-24 12:41:02

Some risotto rice is sold as "aged" so I'm guessing it will be fine. I just found one online which is aged for seven years! I once bought a large quantity of Tilda basmati rice and found that a mouse had chewed its way through the plastic sack, ugh....

Tanjamaltija Thu 13-Jun-24 12:41:47

Brown rice will go rancid because of the oils in it. White rice will taste a tad weird because the lipids will oxidize, and the texture will be mushy. Seriously, though, rice is not that expensive. So why risk it?

Mollygo Thu 13-Jun-24 12:50:58

Use it-I have done that and it didn’t taste weird at all.
My usual question to self with dry or tinned food is, ^if we were at war and this was rationed, would you use it?

grandMattie Thu 13-Jun-24 12:53:26

Use it. If it is very old (over10 years), then perhaps not…

Vintagegirl Thu 13-Jun-24 13:03:42

It is the cooked rice that you need to be careful of... only a couple of days even if in fridge.

NannyKnit Thu 13-Jun-24 13:23:26

That doesn’t sound too bad to me.
I’ve just sorted out my food cupboards ready for moving. I decided not to keep the little jar of Chipotle paste. Dated use before 2015.

grandtanteJE65 Thu 13-Jun-24 13:27:46

It is almost certainly all right, but put it in a sieve and rinse it before use - if you are fussy scald it as well.

nanna8 Thu 13-Jun-24 13:27:51

Just reporting in- I made a beautiful risotto, though I say it myself. No problem with the rice whatsoever. It was the best one I’d made andI was glad because it was a birthday meal for daughter number 2.