Do you abide by the 5 second rule?

[Bluedawg]

You know, the rule that says that if food hits the floor and you pick it up before 5 seconds then it is still safe to eat.


...the true pioneer of five-second research was Jillian Clarke, a high-school intern at the University of Illinois in 2003. Ms. Clarke conducted a survey and found that slightly more than half of the men and 70 percent of the women knew of the five-second rule, and many said they followed it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/09/dining/09curi.html

So I wondered how many DBF posters actually do.

For those who answer yes this many make you feel good.


Good news for sloppy chowhounds - that food you dropped on the floor is still safe to eat 30 seconds later.


Working under the supervision of assistant professor Anne Bernhard, the two cell-and-molecular biology students experimented with samples of wet food (apple slices) and dry food (Skittles candy); food samples were left on the floor for various intervals, then analyzed for contamination, the college said.

According to Goettsche and Moin, the results of their research showed that people can wait as long as 30 seconds to pick up wet foods and even longer for dry foods.
http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2007/05/5second_dropped.html

[blublood]

Oh, good, I feel vindicated as a parent for allowing my baby to consume "floor snacks", otherwise known as Cheerios that have sat on the kitchen floor for God knows how long. My theory is that the germs make him tougher.

[EarlJam]

To me, it all depends on how wet / moist it is. For instance, drop a pretzel on the floor? A Jawbreaker? A cracker? I’ll eat it ten seconds later or more. But if I drop a cut of wet meat on the floor, or say the peanut butter side of my peanut butter toast, or perhaps a ravioli, I probably won’t eat any of it even if it’s only been on my hairy, dust-filled floor for .000000000000000001 seconds.

But overall I would have to say I adhere to the Five Seconds rule.

-EarlJam

[Lavabe]

Food Network has a new show about the science of food. It's called Food Detectives, and is hosted by Ted Allen (formerly of Bravo's Queer Eye). The adverts for the show have him investigating the 5-second rule. They're also investigating double-dipping.

Hmm... do you remember the episode of Mythbusters that dealt with the 5-second rule? Myth busted!:p

Cheers,
Lavabe

[TNTDevil]

...But if I drop a cut of wet meat on the floor,...
-EarlJamSomething is not quite right about this statement...

[2535Miles]

I'm with EarlJam on this one, it all depends on what you've dropped on the floor. I can apply the five second rule to dry goods, and sometimes it applies to uncooked foods that can be rinsed and "cleaned up" without ruining the flavor. If I were eating a nice, juicy steak that found it's way to the floor, I'm afraid I wouldn't eat it.

[DukeUsul]

I'm with the majority here. It has to do with the moisture level. If it's dry food on a dry floor - I'd definitely pick it up, brush it off, and eat. The more moisture on the food or floor - the less likely I'll be.

I'm glad most folks here feel the same. Because I have to admit that yesterday while we were running late for church (boy can it be difficult to be on time with a 12 week old) I was making my wife an english muffin. You can see this coming...... I dropped it. Looked up to see if she saw what happened. She didn't. I picked it up, wiped it off a bit, put some PB on it and brought it over to her.

:rolleyes:

[Lavabe]

I'm with EarlJam on this one, it all depends on what you've dropped on the floor. I can apply the five second rule to dry goods, and sometimes it applies to uncooked foods that can be rinsed and "cleaned up" without ruining the flavor. If I were eating a nice, juicy steak that found it's way to the floor, I'm afraid I wouldn't eat it.

In that same episode of Mythbusters:
1) The five-second rule was busted.
2) The toilet seat is the cleanest surface in the house.
3) A dog's mouth may be cleaner than a human's.

They did NOT, however, test EarlJam's wet meat on the floor.:eek:

Cheers,
Lavabe

[TNTDevil]

...They did NOT, however, test EarlJam's wet meat on the floor.:eek:
Cheers,
LavabeDefinitely something wrong with the quote above!

Earljam's "wet" meat... I think I'm gonna' hurl!

[UVaAmbassador]

For me the issue is not "what was dropped" but rather "where was it dropped." I voted no, but I confess there have been some kitchen floors that were so clean I felt the rule was ok (definately not my kitchen floor, however).:o

[hurleyfor3]

Wait, is this the one where if you don't inbound the ball or call timeout in time, it goes to the other team?

[Bluedawg]

Wait, is this the one where if you don't inbound the ball or call timeout in time, it goes to the other team?

No..that post would be on the Main Board.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Gotta go with it depends on what was dropped and who's floor it was dropped on, and to some degree, if I know who has been walking on it recently and where have their shoes been?

Above several folks state the the 5 second rule was "myth busted". What's that mean? That it is safe to eat food dropped, or not safe to eat dropped food?

My daughter, a pre-kindergarten teacher, has a zero tolerance for dropped food on the floor. I think that is state mandated or something.

[knights68]

My addendum to the 5-second rule is that the drier the food item is the better your chances and more likely I'd adhere to the rule.
Toast (without butter) 5 second rule applies.
A plate of spaghetti, the rule does not.
A french fry, minue ketchup, the five second rule applies.
A fry with ketchup, the rule is overruled.

I saw the episode of Mythbusters regarding this, I thought it was great despite the fact they totally busted it. lol

[EarlJam]

My addendum to the 5-second rule is that the drier the food item is the better your chances and more likely I'd adhere to the rule.
Toast (without butter) 5 second rule applies.
A plate of spaghetti, the rule does not.
A french fry, minue ketchup, the five second rule applies.
A fry with ketchup, the rule is overruled.

I saw the episode of Mythbusters regarding this, I thought it was great despite the fact they totally busted it. lol

"A plate of spaghetti..."

That's funny as Hell!

Can you imagine dropping a full plate of spaghetti on the floor then scooping it all back up on the plate in five seconds or less.........in front of your in-laws?

"Hey! Five second rule!"

-EJ

[ForeverBlowingBubbles]

"A plate of spaghetti..."

That's funny as Hell!

Can you imagine dropping a full plate of spaghetti on the floor then scooping it all back up on the plate in five seconds or less.........in front of your in-laws?

"Hey! Five second rule!"

-EJ

It seems like spaghetti would attract rug hairs, lint, and dust... Especially because you would have to 'roll' it back on the plate - picking up even more hair. I can eat anything off the ground if it doesn't gather hairs of any kind. Thats my rule...

As far as dropping a wet cut of meat? If your talking about deli meat, I understand that... but if your talking about dropping an uncooked filet... you can just rinse and cook... killing germs...

[-jk]

I suppose this might be the only thread where I can relate one of my beloved grandmother's favorite stories: She was at a dinner party where they were about to serve a roast duck.

Somehow, not resigned to its fate, the duck got away from the host and landed in the lap of a guest. The host asked, without missing a beat, "Madame, might I trouble you for that duck?" A merry (duck) dinner ensued.

She never suggested the duck suffered (beyond being dinner, of course) for its travels, five second rule or no.

-jk

[EarlJam]

It seems like spaghetti would attract rug hairs, lint, and dust... Especially because you would have to 'roll' it back on the plate - picking up even more hair. I can eat anything off the ground if it doesn't gather hairs of any kind. Thats my rule...

As far as dropping a wet cut of meat? If your talking about deli meat, I understand that... but if your talking about dropping an uncooked filet... you can just rinse and cook... killing germs...

This brings up an interesting thought to me, EarlJam.

At what heating point do ALL harmful germs, bacteria, froongles "die?" In short, no matter what your meat falls in, if you cook it to a certain degree, or in a certain way, are you safe????

-EJ

[wilson]

I lived in a frat house for nigh on four years, so I live by the 5-minute (minimum) rule. I laugh in the face of your silly germs.

[camion]

I abide by the five second rule selectively. I apply it primarily to chocolate, cookies and other sweets.

I don't believe it, but I use it.:)

[hc5duke]

if you don't keep your food on the floor, where do you keep it? some sort of food-supporting apparatus? sheesh, elists... i bet you call car holes garage too.

[knights68]

This brings up an interesting thought to me, EarlJam.

At what heating point do ALL harmful germs, bacteria, froongles "die?" In short, no matter what your meat falls in, if you cook it to a certain degree, or in a certain way, are you safe????

-EJ

Food pros of the board back me up, i believe the killin of the germs and such begins at around 140-160 degrees internal core temperature. Crank it up and fry the food to a cripsy critter temp of like 500 degrees and no worries. And the carbon is great for digestion. lol
so if you have nice fish steak or burger ready to grill up and it takes a header onto the floor, wash it off and cook the bad boy ensuring the core temp is above the 160 threshold. It will kill the external oogies as well as the internal, microscopic boogers.

Dang, now I am hungry for a fish wrapped burger!

[knights68]

"A plate of spaghetti..."

That's funny as Hell!

Can you imagine dropping a full plate of spaghetti on the floor then scooping it all back up on the plate in five seconds or less...
-EJ

Come on folks, fess up!! No one on this board have eevvveerrrr dropped a fork full of pasta on the carpet and picked it up (with the obligatory inspection of clock and of product) before continuing on with good eats?

Noone has dropped a nice saucy hot wing on the floor only to pick it up, blow on it (as if that helps) and NOT eaten it?

What of a good piece of steak, just perfect, a big 'ol piice dropping on the floor (or in someones lap.... I am laughing abotu the lap duck! Great story!!) and thrown the food away?

78% of all statistics are made up, I suspect 90% of those denying such a thing are lyin' in their Cheerios this morning!

[budwom]

Utterly moot point if you have two labrador retrievers. Labs understood how gravity works years before Sir Isaac Newton had a clue. No sign of dropped foodstuffs milliseconds after they hit the floor (and the hounds have never suffered any ill effects).

[blublood]

Come on folks, fess up!! No one on this board have eevvveerrrr dropped a fork full of pasta on the carpet and picked it up (with the obligatory inspection of clock and of product) before continuing on with good eats?

No one has dropped a nice saucy hot wing on the floor only to pick it up, blow on it (as if that helps) and NOT eaten it?

What of a good piece of steak, just perfect, a big 'ol piice dropping on the floor (or in someones lap.... I am laughing abotu the lap duck! Great story!!) and thrown the food away?


If you let a piece of good steak go to waste just because it's been on the floor - unless your floor is truly, significantly dirty to the point of being sticky, fuzzy with dust, or covered in fish scales - I spit in your general direction. Your stomach can handle germs. It's a veritable deep-fried vat of death for germs. A perfect steak cannot be replaced, people! :D

[Johnboy]

I suppose this might be the only thread where I can relate one of my beloved grandmother's favorite stories: She was at a dinner party where they were about to serve a roast duck.

Somehow, not resigned to its fate, the duck got away from the host and landed in the lap of a guest. The host asked, without missing a beat, "Madame, might I trouble you for that duck?" A merry (duck) dinner ensued.

She never suggested the duck suffered (beyond being dinner, of course) for its travels, five second rule or no.

-jk

This reminds me of a story my father-in-law tells of a thanksgiving dinner he attended years ago. The live-in housekeeper did the cooking and serving. As she brought the turkey in, it slid off the platter and onto the floor. The hostess immediately said "That's OK - please just pick that one up and bring in the other turkey."

[rsvman]

This brings up an interesting thought to me, EarlJam.

At what heating point do ALL harmful germs, bacteria, froongles "die?" In short, no matter what your meat falls in, if you cook it to a certain degree, or in a certain way, are you safe????

-EJ

That depends. Yes, cooking food to an internal temperature of 160 degrees will kill most live bacteria.

HOWEVER, some bacteria produce toxins in food that cannot be heat-inactivated. Once the toxins are in the food, cooking it to 160 or even higher doesn't make a darn bit of difference. Notable examples are Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus. The bacteria can all be dead and you could still be SICK as a DOG! (This is the reason that food STORAGE issues, not just food COOKING issues, are important in preventing foodborne disease. So, keep foods refrigerated, throw them out when they've been in there too long, put your leftovers in the refrigerator as soon as you're finished eating your meal, etc., etc.)

[DukeUsul]

That depends. Yes, cooking food to an internal temperature of 160 degrees will kill most live bacteria.

HOWEVER, some bacteria produce toxins in food that cannot be heat-inactivated. Once the toxins are in the food, cooking it to 160 or even higher doesn't make a darn bit of difference. Notable examples are Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus. The bacteria can all be dead and you could still be SICK as a DOG! (This is the reason that food STORAGE issues, not just food COOKING issues, are important in preventing foodborne disease. So, keep foods refrigerated, throw them out when they've been in there too long, put your leftovers in the refrigerator as soon as you're finished eating your meal, etc., etc.)

And besides, who wants to cook meat to 160? The only thing that should be cooked over 160 is poultry.....

[sue71]

Ok I dropped a strawberry on my kitchen floor today. It was going from the store container to the sink to be washed, so I picked it up & washed it (& put it in the ziploc for lunch). I ate it at lunch.

I think that's permissible.

[rsvman]

And besides, who wants to cook meat to 160? The only thing that should be cooked over 160 is poultry.....

Yes, and it is clearly not necessary to cook beef to 160. There's a reason the E. coli cases from beef are almost always from eating HAMBURGER, not steak. The bacteria on the OUTSIDE of the meat. Searing the meat kills the bacteria on a steak even if the inside is rare. But with hamburger, the OUTSIDE is now on the INSIDE; that's why you have to cook hamburger more thoroughly or just take your chances.

[Turk]

The young Turks in the house have a concept of "Family Germs", as in:

"Hey, I'm thirsty - let me have a sip of your drink."
"No, that's gross."
"So what? They're family germs"

(Same response applies to double dipping or asking to finish a desired leftover goodie on someone else's plate...)

[wilson]

Here's a doozie, quite apropos to this thread: My residence is currently under a water-boil advisory. Apparently the local treatment plant lost power during a storm yesterday and "might" have lost pressure, which would leave our water susceptible to contamination of some sort. According to local officials, this "probably" didn't happen, but we're encouraged to boil our water before cooking, drinking, even bathing. Being the non-germophobe that I am, do I risk it, or should I continue to boil?
The biggest issue, of course, is the shower, as I haven't bathed in 48+ hours and am now being told not to bathe. I'm getting gross.

[Shammrog]

The young Turks in the house have a concept of "Family Germs", as in:

"Hey, I'm thirsty - let me have a sip of your drink."
"No, that's gross."
"So what? They're family germs"

(Same response applies to double dipping or asking to finish a desired leftover goodie on someone else's plate...)


Have you thought about changing your DBR name to "Turk182"?

[Turk]

Have you thought about changing your DBR name to "Turk182"?

Sorry, I missed the reference... had to google / IMDB it up... never saw the movie, so I guess I'll stand pat...

[bjornolf]

For me, it really depends. If it's in our house, where shoes are not allowed, and I know the state of my floors, I'll use the ten second rule and let my kids eat stuff that's been lying around (I don't think I could stop my 3 year old even if I wanted to...he'll throw his food on the floor and then eat it like a dog). If it's outside or in the car, I'll pick up the food, brush it off, examine it, then examine the floor, then make a judgment call. If it's in a mall food court or a restaurant or a bathroom or something, I'll probably just throw it away. So, it's sort of a sliding scale.

I laughed when I read about the family germ thing. My wife and I used to go through that. I'd want a sip of her drink or some of her food or something, and she'd say it was gross, so I'd respond with "Please we've had a (then two, then three) kid together. If we haven't swapped every germ in our bodies, I'd be shocked." The kids share too. The only time we're more careful about that is if part or all of the family is sick. Then we try not to share germs. :eek:

She laughs at me and calls me her dog marking his territory cause I always get a bite of whatever she or the kids are eating if it's something I like. Of course, I prepare 90% of it, so I figure I've got a right to a taste. :p

[blublood]

She laughs at me and calls me her dog marking his territory cause I always get a bite of whatever she or the kids are eating if it's something I like. Of course, I prepare 90% of it, so I figure I've got a right to a taste. :p

THANK you! I've been saying this for years. If you object to me tasting it, fix it yourself.