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Is it safe to eat food that has dropped on the floor?
No, it’s never a good idea to eat food that has been dropped. The 5-second rule is just wishful thinking — bacteria can attach to food as soon as it hits the floor. And foods with wet surfaces, like an apple slice, pick up bacteria even more easily than, say, a cookie.
How long does it take for germs to get on dropped food?
Germs immediately attach to food dropped on the floor. They don’t have to wait five seconds to do anything. Germs are very sticky creatures; as soon as your food touches the floor, the germs stick, according to research done by P. Dawson as reported in the Journal of Applied Microbiology.
What happens when food falls on the floor?
Turns out fallen food does pick up germs immediately upon making contact with the floor, and the amount of bacteria transferred can be enough to make you sick, according to Paul Dawson, PhD, a food science professor at Clemson University. …
How fast can bacteria get on food?
When food sits out in a temperature range called the danger zone, which is from 40–140°F (4–60°C), bacteria on it can double within 20 minutes.
How dirty is the kitchen floor?
Research done by the National Sanitation Foundation and Dr. Charles Gerba, also known as “Dr. Germ” for his research surrounding bacteria on public surfaces, both confirm that the kitchen floor is, by far, not the dirtiest surface in your kitchen.
Is it OK to eat food that’s been dropped on the floor?
It depends on just how much bacteria can make it from floor to food in a few seconds and just how dirty the floor is. Where did the five-second rule come from? Wondering if food is still OK to eat after it’s been dropped on the floor (or anywhere else) is a pretty common experience. And it’s probably not a new one either.
Is it safe to eat food that has been dropped?
No, it’s never a good idea to eat food that has been dropped. The 5-second rule is just wishful thinking — bacteria can attach to food as soon as it hits the floor. And foods with wet surfaces, like an apple slice, pick up bacteria even more easily than things like a cookie. Even food that’s picked up quickly can be contaminated.
Can food touch the floor?
This most recent study was similar in that it tested a variety of foods, a variety of substances, for various periods. And, like those other studies, this one found that food touching the floor, even for a very short amount of time, could pick up bacteria.
Can you get sick from dropping food on your carpet?
(Score one, though, if you’re the rare person who has carpeting in the kitchen: Less than 1\% of bacteria were transferred to food dropped on rugs.) Before you freak out, know that bacteria on your food becomes a problem if—and only if—the microbes on the floor are actually the kind that can make you sick, like Salmonella.