Researchers have found that – by testing foods left on bacteria – the five second rule does not keep the bacteria from getting on your food. The five second rule states that if you pick up your food before the five seconds that it is safe to eat. As a matter of fact, the researchers found that food left on bacteria after only one second is contaminated with bacteria like salmonella. They tested all sorts of foods like watermelon, snack food, bread, and candy and on different surfaces like wood, carpet, stainless steel, and floor tiles. They found that the longer the food stayed on the bacteria the more it was contaminated. The biggest factor was the surface (where the food was laid), how much moisture was in the food, and how long it was on that surface as to how much contamination was found. They found that foods that are sticky like candy and watermelon are the foods that bacteria like to attack quickly.
This practice is so widespread that the researchers needed some scientific proof to let people know how dangerous their food is that falls to the floor. They completed and replicated 128 different scenarios 20 times (2560 individual measurements) to analyze each item’s amount of contamination.
Some good news is that carpet is the best surface when it comes to picking food up after it falls – it still gets contaminated but, not as quick. Since it is considered to get dirty quicker you would think that it would be the worst but it’s the best because it has multiple surfaces and doesn’t have as much contact with the food like a tile floor would.
The researchers hope that their scientific proof helps people understand how popular advise may not be the best to base your healthy food diet around. So, beware you clumsy eaters!!