It turns out that the five-second rule is real!

[Adam]

Scientists prove the five-second rule is no myth

ACCORDING to science the five-second rule is no myth. Offering relief to all those who have been picking their food off the floor and helping them feel a little bit less gross.

Some live by the belief that when you drop a bit of food on the floor you get five-seconds before it’s rendered too disgusting to eat. Six-seconds? No way. But for some reason five has generally been accepted.

Of course, we all thought this was a load of rubbish and only used it to convince ourselves we can still consume that meatball that’s just rolled onto the carpet. But science has proven we’ve been getting it right all along.

Biology students at Aston University in the UK monitored how quickly E.coli and common bacteria spread from surfaces to food such as toast (butter side down, no doubt), pasta and sticky sweets — with time being a significant factor in the transfer of germs.

Food picked up just a few seconds after being dropped is less likely to contain bacteria than if it is left for longer periods of time according to the findings.

No doubt a huge relief to moms everywhere.

[phillygirl]

I think you gain an extra 3 seconds if you "kiss it up to God" and an additional 4 seconds if it's the lemon that fell on the bar floor that you're using as a chaser for the tequila shot.

[Lanie]

Perhaps they can prove the five minute rule next.

[Tom Servo]

The part that blows my mind is that it's more likely to be safe if the food falls to a carpeted floor versus hardwood or solid surface. Carpeting, being somewhat porous and flexible, seems like the perfect place for millions of little gribleys to be hiding out, just waiting to attach themselves to your food product item.

[Gingersnap]

Not so fast.

Results from a few years ago are not rosy. Basically, bacterial contamination is pretty much what you would think it was using common sense: Vanilla Wafer - eat, meatball - dog eats. Very dry or salty things pick up little but wet or sticky things pick up a lot. Is it enough to make you sick? Sure, if your dog has recently tracked salmonella on to the kitchen floor.

A lot also depends on the condition of surface. Carpet in seldom used back bedroom? Not bad. Tile floor in kitchen that hasn't been cleaned in a week? Not good.

This is never an issue for me since I have 3 dogs.

[Gramps]

Not so fast.

Results from a few years ago are not rosy. Basically, bacterial contamination is pretty much what you would think it was using common sense: Vanilla Wafer - eat, meatball - dog eats. Very dry or salty things pick up little but wet or sticky things pick up a lot. Is it enough to make you sick? Sure, if your dog has recently tracked salmonella on to the kitchen floor.

A lot also depends on the condition of surface. Carpet in seldom used back bedroom? Not bad. Tile floor in kitchen that hasn't been cleaned in a week? Not good.

This is never an issue for me since I have 3 dogs.

Don't eat food dropped directly on your dogs and your golden.