The Five Second Rule: Fact or Myth?

If you’re anything like us, you might have learned the five-second rule when you were a child: if food falls on the floor and is picked up within five seconds, it is safe to eat.  While we were always skeptical of this idea, scientists have recently proven that it is actually true.  While testing how bacteria move from surfaces (for example, the floor) to food, scientists have found that time is a crucial factor.  The less time the food is on the surface, the less likely it is to become infected.  Additionally, the type of flooring surface is important with carpet spreading less bacteria than tile or laminate flooring.
While this is interesting news, it’s not applicable to the food service industry.  When you have the responsibility of serving the public, there is no room for the risk involved with the five-second rule.  Serving or consuming food dropped on the floor or contaminated on another surface still poses an infection risk that is dependent on the bacteria present, and therefore, unsafe for food service.  If you are at work, anything that is contaminated needs to be thrown away, however, what you choose to practice in your own home is up to you!