The 5-Second Rule

[Adam's Apple]

'5-Second Rule' Rules, Sometimes
By Leanna Skamulis, WebMD Feature

Experts explore whether it’s safe to eat food that’s made quick contact with the floor.

In households, restaurant kitchens, and almost anywhere people prepare or consume food, you'll occasionally hear someone call out "five-second rule." Whether it's uttered as a way for the speaker to let others know he's civilized, as an excuse to salvage expensive food, or as an incantation to ward off sickness, the meaning is the same: If food hits the floor and you snatch it up in less than five seconds, it's safe to eat."

Is the food really safe? Or should we throw it away or wash it off? WebMD talked to experts to find out what you should consider before swallowing this rule whole.

http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/124/115555.htm

 

[Joz]

I think it depends on the floor, too. Surgery could have been done in my mother's house, so I was never afraid to pick up something like a jelly bean & eat it.
But I should think that any floor that has outdoor shoewear on it, wouldn't be safe anytime, anyplace.

 

[dmp]

We ate dirt for WEEKS in 'Nam...

 

[dilloduck]

I think it depends on the floor, too. Surgery could have been done in my mother's house, so I was never afraid to pick up something like a jelly bean & eat it.
But I should think that any floor that has outdoor shoewear on it, wouldn't be safe anytime, anyplace.

If I'm hungry and it's a tasty morsel I'll give it even 10 seconds !!

 

[CharlestonChad]

Biologically speaking, it depends on the level of moisture in the outer surface of the food making contact with the floor. A jelly bean can be wipped off after falling in the dirt, but a steak can pick up thousands of different types of bacteria if it grazes to floor of a TGIF.

 

[dilloduck]

Biologically speaking, it depends on the level of moisture in the outer surface of the food making contact with the floor. A jelly bean can be wipped off after falling in the dirt, but a steak can pick up thousands of different types of bacteria if it grazes to floor of a TGIF.

Which is why we have immune systems. If you leave that steak on the floor for more than 2 seconds, its mine. :

 

[Hobbit]

Going by Health Department rules, it's the 0-second rule. I also saw this one on Mythbusters. There was no appreciable difference between the same food left on a uniformly dirty ground for 2 seconds or 7 seconds. Contact seems to be the only qualifier.

 

[fuzzykitten99]

Which is why we have immune systems. If you leave that steak on the floor for more than 2 seconds, its mine. :

4 days ago my 3yo found m&m's in the car under my driver's seat that were God-knows-how-old and ate them before I could stop him and he hasn't gotten sick so far...last time he got sick with anything more than a cold/cough was Feb.

 

[fuzzykitten99]

We ate dirt for WEEKS in 'Nam...

my friend Diana has a saying: God made dirt-Dirt don't hurt.

 

[deaddude]

God made dirt-Dirt don't hurt.

Well God made thorns, didn't he?

 

[Trigg]

As far as I'm concerned the 5 second rule only applies at my house, grandparents or my sisters house. I know that they keep their floors clean.

Anywhere else and it's a no go. I don't know where those people have been.

 

[Adam's Apple]

At my house there's no 5-second rule. If food's dropped on the floor, it goes into the garbage disposal--and not the human kind.