REHS/EPH Program Week Five Practice Test

Bacillus cereus is a spore-forming bacterium that can survive cooking and multiply when foods are kept at improper temperatures, especially starchy leftovers like rice. It can produce toxins that cause vomiting and diarrhea, and the classic example is cooked rice that’s been left out too long or not cooled promptly. That makes cooked rice the item most commonly associated with Bacillus cereus.

Yogurt is produced by fermenting milk with beneficial bacteria, so it isn’t the usual vehicle for Bacillus cereus. Lettuce can be linked to various pathogens, but not specifically Bacillus cereus. Jam has high sugar and low water activity, which inhibit Bacillus cereus growth, so it’s not typically associated with this organism either.

So, cooked rice best fits as the item commonly associated with Bacillus cereus.