A professor has had his say on the almost universal rule…
The 5-second-rule has been used by people for generations in an effort to stop their clumsiness in handling foods from making them go hungry.
For example, you and your mates are eating some sausage rolls when, to your horror, the last one slips from your grasp and falls to the floor.
But luckily, it is perfectly acceptable to shout out “5 second rule!” and pick the sausage roll up as if nothing had happened… you can even extend this to 10 seconds in rare circumstances.
However, while this may be a social norm, it’s not considered sound logic. At least not by Dr. Paul Dawson, professor of food science at Clemson University, writing for Quartz.
A study conducted by the University back in 2007 showed that the length of time the food was in contact with the surface mattered less than the amount of bacteria on the surface, and in fact Dr Dawson notes that the type of surface can prove more important.
‘Carpets, for instance, seem to be slightly better places to drop your food than wood or tile,’ he writes.
‘When carpet was inoculated with Salmonella, less than 1 per cent of the bacteria were transferred. But when the food was in contact with tile or wood, 48-70 per cent of bacteria transferred.’
Dr. Dawson explains that if there are millions of different bacteria and microorganisms on the area onto which the food is dropped, just 0.1 per cent of these cells are enough to make you sick.
In short, you’re taking a big risk any time you use the 5-second-rule. So, is it worth it?
