We’re all familiar with the 5 second rule: if a piece of food falls on the floor and you retrieve it within 5 seconds, it’s 100% safe to eat. That’s been the theory for a while now but there was never any science or evidence to back it up, we all just assumed it was legit and rolled with it.
Good thing then that when Professor Anthony Hilton and his final year students at Birmingham’s Aston university monitored how quickly E. coli and other common bacteria spread from indoor floor surfaces to toast, pasta and other foods, their findings completely backed the theory.
They found that time was an extremely important factor in bacterial transfers, as well as the type of flooring the food had fallen on. Carpet is the safest, whereas laminated or tiled surfaces pose more of a risk, and especially when food is moist and left on the floor for more than 5 seconds.
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‘Consuming food dropped on the floor still carries an infection risk as it very much depends on which bacteria are present on the floor at the time; however the findings of this study will bring some light relief to those who have been employing the “five-second rule” for years, despite a general consensus that it is purely a myth,’ Prof Hilton said.
So there you have it — carry on picking up the food you dropped on the floor and eating it so long as you do it within 5 seconds. Personally I won’t eat food off the ground because I have a dog who drags his balls around all day but if I did I’d have to think that there were a few more variables than just time and the type of surface. For example, you’re not going to pick up and eat a slice of pizza that’s fallen cheese-first onto the floor are you? But if it falls on the bread side then it’s pretty much still fit for consumption so long as you stay within the 5 second rule. Basically, use your judgment, but know that science is on your side.
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