Can rice left in a rice cooker overnight still be eaten?

Experts categorize this scenario into four cases as follows:

Case 1:

If the rice is left alone in the rice cooker after it has cooked and the lid has not been opened, most microorganisms will be eliminated. If the lid is not opened, microorganisms cannot enter and do injury. Although the moisture and nutrients in the rice are optimal for bacterial development, germs do not thrive when the power is turned off and the temperature lowers. In this situation, the rice will not rot even if left overnight or for longer.

Case 2:

After the rice has cooked, you open the lid, remove some rice while it is still hot, and then close it again. At this time, the temperature inside the rice cooker remains rather high, albeit some germs may enter when the lid is opened. However, the rice might stay at a higher temperature for a long after the lid is closed. During this period, the high temperature eliminates any germs that have entered from the environment. As a result, as the temperature lowers, there will be few surviving bacteria, and they will not reproduce rapidly overnight. In this scenario, eating rice that has been left overnight is normally safe.

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