Rice in the Freezer

[WillTravelForFood]

A few months ago, we obtained a package of Carolina Rice. We put it into a freezer bag and placed the bag in the freezer.

Yesterday, I noticed that the freezer bag has expanded/puffed up like a pillow. No idea how long it's been like this, so no idea if it was a gradual increase or something more sudden.

a) what could have caused this?
b) is the rice still safe to cook and eat, or should we toss it?

[FireMan]

I have no idea what happened. It will be interesting when the answer comes along. In the mean time, I have never heard or done put rice in the freezer. Mebbee jus learnt why.

[bbqLuv]

Do they have a freezer in a Winnebagos?

[HawkerXP]

No need bbqLuv as it appears they only have a few days of thaw in that particular latitude.

[smokin fool]

I'm interested too.
Dry rice there's no need to freeze but I'm unfamiliar with Carolina rice.

[WillTravelForFood]

Some background on Carolina rice, from our friends at Serious Eats:

https://www.seriouseats.com/carolina-gold-heirloom-rice-anson-mills

[smokin fool]

WillTravelForFood Thank you, an interesting read.
I initially thought it was a way of cooking/preparing rice not an actual strain of rice.
Neat to see how it made a comeback after almost disappearing.

[Uncle Bob]

We use a saying in our house; when in doubt, throw it out.

That said usually that sort of expansion is the result of something in the package off gassing, usually because something is decaying. In your case a couple questions come to mind. You put a "package" within a bag......maybe? Is the rice in it's own package and is that package sealed (not opened since manufacturer sealed)? If so, is that original packaging swollen as well? If not, then there was something in the freezer bag that "died" or whatever. If the original package was opened, or swelling within factory seal, then there is/was something in that that probably is deteriorating to cause the off gassing. In which case, back to the opening sentence.

[smokenoob]

any chance your freezer is traveling with you and you went up in altitude?

[rickgregory]

I don't buy the 'something is rotting' thing - it's in the FREEZER.

That said, the only other explanation I can think of is water expanding into ice, but there should not be that much water in there. Perhaps email the place that sold it?

[LA Pork Butt]

Uncle Bob "We use a saying in our house; when in doubt, throw it out."


That’s the saying at our house, too!

[Jim White]

Now why did you go and put up that link to Carolina Gold rice?

Dang it. That stuff sounds so good.

[Dan Deter]

This place is gonna bankrupt me...first beans, now rice. I'll never have enough money to indulge in MCS...

[Bkhuna]

Donw - I've been an avid fan of Geechie Boy/Marsh Hen for years. There are 5 types of grits I buy from them as well as Sea Island beans and corn meal.

We're planning a trip to Charleston over the Christmas holiday and their store is on our "to do" list.

[Donw]

Same here Bkhuna . We have a small under cabinet fridge just stuffed with their grits, corn meal, and other products.

[bbqLuv]

Putting rice in the freezer may be against the grain. I'm wondering if the rice itself expanded, as in absorbed moisture during the frost-free cycles, or fermentation process occurred and giving off-gas.

[Mr. Bones]

Freezer bag is a rather ambiguous term, no doubt...room fer discussion, here...

But...

If in th original pkg, and / or / inserted into a 'freezer bag', it really shouldn't be absorbin anything, should it?

I git my rice dried, an have never frozen it, so I consider myself unqualified to testify as to why this here particular phenomenon occurred...

[jfmorris]

I've never heard of freezing dried rice or dried beans. They just go in the pantry. I am with others, and wonder if there was some level of moisture that caused issues due to the daily defrost cycle in a frost free freezer.

[DavidNorcross]

Yeah I don't think this is meant to be frozen. There is moisture and when frozen that swells. Doubt it is bad just not worth eating.

[GolfGeezer]

Not sure what the issue, in general, with freezing cooked rice. There are lots of frozen rice products on the market. Trader Joe’s sells a Jasmine rice frozen that we use all the time. My wife will freeze anything, and leftover rice has certainly made it in there many times. I guessing some form of contamination, but don’t know enough to call that a certainty.

[Polarbear777]

For long term storage any rice or wheat etc with the whole grain will last a lot longer than in a pantry, but it has to be sealed well and protected from moisture and freeze-thaw cycling.

[FireMan]

Checked it out. Yes, you can freeze those little suckers & if you do it right they can last up to 18 months in the freezer. So, THEY say. I’ve had rice last that long out of the freezer, albeit in a tight container so those Lil bugs don’t git at em. Says yer suppose to lay em out on a cookie sheet & cool em down & then put em in freezer bags or the like. Seems like a lotta work.

[GolfGeezer]

Heh-he! Guess it is another case of me and the Mrs. should be dead...