Scientists Confirm 5 Second Rule Doesn’t Keep The Germs Away
If you're the type of person to bathe in Purell, you might think twice before retrieving that dropped piece of food. Apparently germs don't wait 5 seconds before latching on to your food.
From the moment it leaves your hand and then lands on the floor, most people have an internal timer before that food is no longer safe to eat. In a study, co-funded by Clorox and conducted by researchers at San Diego State University, researchers found that germs attach to dropped edible items well before 5 seconds are up.
Researchers took baby carrots and dropped them on various surfaces. They found that countertops and floors (carpeted and hardwood) were the grossest places to retrieve fallen food.
In a survey conducted as part of the story, a majority of parents (65%) said they follow the 5 second rule in their own homes. Which after sending your kids to school with other germ riddled children, doesn't seem to be a big deal.
The Center for Disease Control says that surfaces should be cleaned regularly And I'm assuming they frown on eating food you dropped on the floor.
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