For ages, people have believed that if food has been on the floor for five seconds, it’s perfectly safe to eat. Some even argue that ten seconds isn’t a big deal. But what do scientists think about this?
In short, it depends on two factors: the type of food and where it fell. This is typically how researchers respond to the question.
For instance, moist foods like watermelon or meat dishes attract bacteria more quickly than dry foods like chips or cookies. Experts also agree that the less time food spends on the ground, the better. Let’s delve into this a bit more.
So, is the five-second rule a myth or a fact?
Despite the fact that bathrooms and kitchens harbor the most bacteria, a recent study shows that there are no safe spots in our homes to avoid them. Even in an average living room, around 400 types of microbes can be found. Most of them enter our homes through water from sidewalks.
And even if you rinse the dropped food under running water, bacteria can still cling to it. This doesn’t depend on whether it’s been on the floor for five seconds or longer.
“Unfortunately, the five-second rule is a myth,” says Wendy LeBrett, a physician and gastroenterology researcher at the University of California. So, where did this idea come from?
Some believe that the five-second rule was established by the Mongolian ruler and tyrant Genghis Khan. Allegedly, he required guests at his banquets to eat food that had fallen on the floor, as reported by the Daily Mail.
According to another version, the blame lies with the famous chef Julia Child. During her television show in 1963, she didn’t hesitate to pick up a pancake that had fallen on the stove and assured viewers that it was still safe to eat.
What are the dangers of food from the floor?
In 2016, researchers at Rutgers University (USA) tested the five-second rule experimentally. They analyzed the bacterial content on four types of food: watermelon, bread, oiled bread, and gummy candies.
The results showed that after five seconds on the floor, watermelon collected the most bacteria (97 percent). A bit less was found on bread (94%) and oiled bread (82%). Meanwhile, gummy candies had 62 percent of bacteria attached to them.
Scientists warn that harmful bacteria exist on every surface in our homes, and they can easily find their way into our food. Not to mention the cases when food falls on the floor and comes into contact with a large number of bacteria.
In fact, according to scientists, the process of bacteria attaching to food takes less than a second. Our meals act like magnets for pathogens. Bacteria such as salmonella, E. coli, and listeria can cause digestive issues and food poisoning. Their most common symptoms are well-known: vomiting, diarrhea, and fever.
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Despite studies showing how quickly bacteria attach to food, dietitian Donald Schaffner from Rutgers University believes that people are likely to continue trusting the five-second rule. They want it to be true, the scientist added. After all, many think that everyone eats food off the floor when no one is watching.
Renowned dietitian Paul Dawson from Clemson University (USA) noted, “In reality, people have had very little basic knowledge about microorganisms and their links to human diseases until recent times. Thus, eating food that has fallen was probably not taboo. People couldn’t see the bacteria, so they thought that if they wiped off the visible dirt, everything would be fine.”
However, modern scientists advise a more critical approach to this outdated practice. The longer food remains on the ground, the more dangerous bacteria it attracts.