Every kid knows the five second rule: If food that has dropped to the floor remains on the floor for fewer than five seconds, there is no bacterial danger in eating it. Now a scientific test of the universally accepted theory of school dining reveals that five seconds is a very conservative estimate. The Connecticut College news website reports that two students, both cellular and molecular biology majors, tested the rule by placing their food samples – apple slices (wet) and Skittles candies (dry)
– onto floors five, 10, 30 and 60 second intervals, and
also tested them after allowing five minutes to elapse. They then
swabbed the foods and placed them onto agar plates designed to
cultivate any bacteria that might have attached to the foods. The women found no bacteria were present on the foods that had remained
on the floor for five, 10 or 30 seconds. The apple slices did pick up
bacteria after one minute, however, and the Skittles showed a bacterial
presence after remaining on the floor for five minutes.
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Mythbusters also tested this theory on TV, but if I remember right, they found the opposite results to be true. I do not remember what food they used, but they did the swabs onto the agar plate… Interesting…My personal theory is; If the germs do not kill you, they only make you stronger.
My personal theory is, if food has a 5 second rule when it falls, how can bacteria find it ,attach its self to it with in 5 seconds. I can not think of a single bateria that is that fast. I am a true believer of the 5 ssecond rule.
personally i don’t eat food that has come into contact with the floor, just like i wouldn’t eat food off my shoe sole, the sidewalk, the grass, or the spot of bird poop on my car fender.
however if you feel comfortable eating food off the sidewalk… go4it.
MMMMMMM – Floor pie!
Interesting and surprising test results. But I’m still awfully hesitant to eat stuff that’s been on the floor. Especially wet stuff.