Sushi rice is not dangerous if it is made at the correct pH. An experienced sushi chef understands how to make sushi rice correctly. The recipe only changes when the al dente texture of the rice is changed. The only recipe change would be in the amount of water used to steam the rice. The vinegar and pH would remain the same.
Many states have regulations for sushi rice that are tied to time and temperature. The number of hours that the sushi rice is allowed to stay at room temperature varies from state to state. The culture of food safety is such that being overly careful about bacterial growth is now the norm. However, in the process, the sushi producer must be extremely flexible to meet the demands of health authorities who base their decisions more on opinion than on real fact. Simply put, if you buy commercial mayonnaise, it is not hot packed and is considered stable at room temperature because of the pH level. The pH level of commercial mayonnaise is between 4.3 and 4.5. Therefore, because the commercial manufacturing of mayonnaise follows U.S. Food and Drug Administration standards providing acidification so that the product “contains sufficient amounts of acid to kill Salmonella and some other harmful foodborne bacteria” says Michael P. Doyle, Ph.D., regents professor and director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia. Why do people refrigerate their mayonnaise? They do not have to until they put a dirty spoon or knife into it, thus creating cross-contamination. The same vinegar and salt requirements for mayonnaise apply to sushi rice. But, for some reason there is less understanding about pickled rice.
As time passes and more people consume sushi, it will become necessary to truly understand the food safety issues for sushi. Food safety in sushi is based in two different points: fish quality and rice acidification. It is time to learn the truth about sushi rice and its hazards.