"Five Second" Rule: Fact or Fiction?
A piece of your food falls to the floor. "5, 4, 3, 2, 1". Can you still eat it without getting food poisoning,rabies, or scabies? The "five second rule" is no dirty little secret- it's a practice a lot of people use when they mistakenly drop something from a meal or snack.
The biology department at American University tested it scientifically in June to determine whether it's a myth or reality. They selected two samples of food: bologna and gummy bears. They first slapped many pieces of bologna on the floor and household furniture including public couches. The bologna stayed on each surface for five seconds. Afterwards, they did the same procedure with gummy bears. The samples were all placed in an isolated incubation for a short period.
At first glance, the results were a bit repulsive. Bologna that hit the floor was contaminated with bacteria that could have been salmonella. One gummy bear picked up ecoli bacteria from the public couch.
The good news is that most samples were okay, and those that were laced with germs and bacteria didn't have enough harmful levels that normal people with regular immune systems couldn't fight.
Bottom line: The "five second rule" sticks. It'll just be a dirty little secret between you, the food, and the bacteria from around your house.
posted by Ernie @ 12:11 AM
3 Comments:
But did they also put bologna and gummi bears on the floor for longer than 5 seconds? In order to test the 5-second rule, you need to have that comparison. I want to know whether they showed that the 5-second rule truly matters, or whether they simply showed that it's generally okay to eat off the floor, period.
I believe most people also apply the "dry food" rule. Potato chip or Oreo falls on the floor? It can be salvaged. Bologna or gummi bear? Forget about it.
I agree with Dave: if a piece of bologna falls on the floor, I ain't eating it. Any food that you can't blow the pet hair or lint off of doesn't get eaten after being on the floor.
It's bologna. Who would want to eat it anyway, clean or off the floor?
And are the gummi bears generic/store-brand or are they from Haribo?
Details, please!
Post a Comment
<< Home