Buzz
It's mealtime. As you raise your fork, a piece of pasta slips from your plate and hits the floor. Do you pick it up and eat it?
Many of us justify eating it with the five-second rule—the widely held belief that food dropped for less than five seconds remains safe to eat. MythBusters fans will recall that Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage demonstrated years ago that even five seconds on the floor is enough for bacteria to cling to food. However, recent research suggests that the type of food and the surface it lands on play a key role in whether the five-second rule holds true.
Researchers at Aston University in the UK, led by microbiology professor Anthony Hilton, investigated whether different foods would pick up E. coli or Staphylococcus aureus after falling on various floor types, such as tile, linoleum, and carpet. The team dropped wet foods like gummy bears and pasta on these surfaces. Within five seconds, moist foods on tile and linoleum showed signs of contamination. However, when the food hit carpet, it could sit for up to 30 seconds without picking up any microbes. As for dry foods like cookies or pretzels, they could rest on any surface for up to 30 seconds before bacteria made an appearance.
“Eating food that has fallen on the floor still presents an infection risk, as it depends largely on the types of bacteria present at the time. However, the results of this study should provide some relief for those who have relied on the five-second rule for years, even though there’s been a general belief that it’s simply a myth,” Hilton explained.
The students also conducted a survey asking people how likely they would be to eat food off the floor. Of the 500 respondents, 87 percent admitted to eating food off the floor at least once. Women were more likely to do so, with 55 percent comfortable with it, and 81 percent sticking to the five-second rule.
“Our research revealed that a surprisingly high number of people are willing to eat food that’s been dropped, with women being the most likely group to do so,” Hilton said. “They’re also more likely to follow the five-second rule, which our study has shown to be more than just an old wives’ tale.”
