Dr. Lawrence Goodridge, professor of food science in the Ontario Agricultural College, shared his expertise with People magazine for a piece on how improper cooking and storing of food can lead to bacterial illness.

Baccilus cereus, the bacteria species that causes “fried rice syndrome,” as it has been called on TikTok, can be found in a wide range of starchy foods including pasta, whole wheat and rice, Goodridge said.

Goodridge, a professor in the Department of Food Science, applies genomics to the study of food-borne bacteria, viruses, parasites and antibiotic resistance within a One Health context.