Prevalence of the Levels of Bacillus cereus in Fried Rice Dishes and Its Exposure Assessment from Chinese-style Restaurants

This study aimed to identify the exposure pathway for fried rice dishes and evaluate its microbiological quality from Chinese-style restaurants. Exposure pathway for fried rice was assessed in terms of time, temperature, and serving size by phases from preparation to consumer consumption. The microbiological quality of 32 samples was evaluated for the levels of Bacillus cereus, aerobic mesophilic plate count (APC), and coliforms. One serving size of fried rice dishes was 352.2 g. The final temperature of fried rice dishes at the consumption point was 66.1 degrees C for cook-to-order restaurants, and 59.8 degrees C for reheat-to-cook type restaurants. The prevalence of B. cereus detected in cooked rice at consumption point was 37.5%. Production types, final temperature at cooking, and consumption phases were associated with contamination level of B. cereus (p<0.05). Therefore, for the prevention of B. cereus outbreaks from fried rice dishes, cook-to-order type of production, and rapid consumption after cooking were recommended.