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<i>Bacillus cereus</i> strains vary in their heat resistance, post-processing survival and growth capacity in foods. Hence, this study was carried out to determine the effect of cooking on the survival and growth of eight <i>B. cereus</i> spores in rice at different temperatures in terms of their toxigenic profiles and extracellular enzyme activity. Samples of rice inoculated with different <i>B. cereus</i> spores were cooked and stored at 4 °C, 25 °C and 30 °C for up to 7 days, 48 h and 24 h, respectively. Out of eight <i>B. cereus</i> strains, four and three spore strains were able to grow at 30 °C and 25 °C post-cooking, respectively. Rapid growth was observed after a minimum of 6 h of incubation at 30 °C. All strains possessed proteolytic activity, whereas lipolytic and amylolytic activities were exhibited by 50% and 12.5% of the strains, respectively. The post-cooking survival and growth capacity of the <i>B. cereus</i> strains appeared to be independent of their toxigenic profiles, whereas extracellular enzymatic activities were required for their vegetative growth. Due to the <i>B. cereus</i> spores’ abilities to survive cooking and return to their active cellular form, great care should be taken when handling ready-to-eat foods.