5 Second Rule: Is It Really True?

5-second rule: is it really true?

Food that has not been on the floor for more than 5 seconds can still be eaten without hesitation. If you have followed this rule so far, you should reconsider it in the future:

• Scientists think relatively little of the well-known 5-second rule. Various studies have examined how quickly dangerous bacteria can get to the food that has fallen on the floor.
• The results of the studies are sobering. It is not so much the contact time of the food with the floor that matters as what kind of floor covering it is.
• On carpeted floors, the food had picked up less than 1 percent of the germs within 5 seconds.
• However, it must be remembered that there are types of bacteria of which even a very small amount is sufficient to transmit diseases.
• With wooden and tile floors, the result was much more frightening. After five seconds, between 48 and 70 percent of the bacteria were on the food.
• Of course, this result does not only apply to floors. Areas where raw meat and eggs have been handled, such as kitchen counters, are particularly dangerous.
• Otherwise, in a clean household, there is usually not too much danger if food falls on the floor. However, you must take a residual risk into account.