Is there really a five-second rule about food on the floor?

SP5 Mark Kuzinski — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 08:39:46 -0400

When you drop a piece of food on the floor, is it really OK to eat if you pick up within five seconds? This urban food myth contends that if food spends just a few seconds on the floor, dirt and germs won't have much of a chance to contaminate it.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/10/health/five-second-rule-food-on-floor/index.html

When you drop a piece of food on the floor, is it really OK to eat if you pick it up within five seconds?

Response by SrA Edward Vong made Jun 14 at 2016 8:40 AM

SrA Edward Vong — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 08:40:53 -0400

For me, it depends on what the food is and the location. The five second rule would not apply to me eating yogurt dropped on carpet.

Response by Sgt Christopher Wenzel made Jun 14 at 2016 8:41 AM

Sgt Christopher Wenzel — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 08:41:10 -0400

Yes, sometimes, you have to bump up to the 10 second rule.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 14 at 2016 8:43 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 08:43:01 -0400

Yep!

Response by Alan K. made Jun 14 at 2016 8:45 AM

Alan K. — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 08:45:07 -0400

My wife thinks so and then there's the eat a pound of dirt before you die as well...!!!

Response by SGT John Wesley made Jun 14 at 2016 8:46 AM

SGT John Wesley — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 08:46:56 -0400

I think it's true, except in a foxhole in Korea during monsoon season!

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Jun 14 at 2016 9:01 AM

PO3 Steven Sherrill — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 09:01:28 -0400

SP5 Mark Kuzinski scientifically I think it has been proven false. Realistically, it depends on what was dropped. If I drop a steak, that bastard is getting picked up. If I drop a pickle, well that is why I have dogs.

Response by CPL Patrick Brewbaker made Jun 14 at 2016 9:03 AM

CPL Patrick Brewbaker — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 09:03:40 -0400

Hung up on the incubator of nerd humor.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Jun 14 at 2016 9:05 AM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 09:05:49 -0400

Depends how dirty and disgusting your floors are.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Jun 14 at 2016 9:06 AM

CPT Jack Durish — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 09:06:28 -0400

Science, schmience. I've practiced the "5-second rule" all my life and I'm still here, aren't I?

Response by SSgt Terry P. made Jun 14 at 2016 9:09 AM

SSgt Terry P. — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 09:09:34 -0400

SP5 Mark Kuzinski IMO. It depends on the degree of hunger and quality of the food dropped. lol

Response by SSG Pete Fleming made Jun 14 at 2016 9:12 AM

SSG Pete Fleming — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 09:12:39 -0400

It depends on what got dropped...

Response by SGT John " Mac " McConnell made Jun 14 at 2016 9:16 AM

SGT John " Mac " McConnell — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 09:16:00 -0400

Usually the dog is on top of it first. But , NO ! Thanks mark.

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Jun 14 at 2016 9:32 AM

Capt Tom Brown — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 09:32:57 -0400

Something like a jelly bean can go even longer imo.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Jun 14 at 2016 9:34 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 09:34:35 -0400

That is wishful thinking.

Response by SCPO Jason McLaughlin made Jun 14 at 2016 9:35 AM

SCPO Jason McLaughlin — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 09:35:54 -0400

No five second rule for toast as it ALWAYS lands butter side down....

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Jun 14 at 2016 9:49 AM

LTC Stephen F. — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 09:49:36 -0400

5 seconds is a very arbitrary standard SP5 Mark Kuzinski :-)
A split second on the floor of a meat slaughterhouse or un-cleaned military latrine or prison latrine floor would be too much time for those with 'sensitive" digestive systems.
I drop cardio or pain medicine on the floor and it rolls under the bed with the dust groupings. I generally take a little while to find the pill, then dust it off and take it.
As far as food dropping in restaurants and kitchens and dining areas, if it is dry food it is okay to pick it up and eat it within less than a minute [is that a New York minute :-)]
Wet food generally is not good to eat off the floor unless you are a dog :-)

Response by LTC Tom Jones made Jun 14 at 2016 9:50 AM

LTC Tom Jones — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 09:50:45 -0400

Absolutely; and, by the way, if you drop a dish-cloth on the floor, that means company is coming.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Jun 14 at 2016 9:50 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 09:50:51 -0400

Eating off the floor can be deadly...

The liquor was spilled on the bar room floor;
And the bar was closed for the night.
Out of his hole came the little brown mouse;
And he danced by the pale moonlight.
He lapped up the liquor off the bar room floor;
And back on his haunches he sat.
And all through the night you could hear that mouse roar;
"Bring on your damned old cat!!!"

Response by CMSgt Mark Schubert made Jun 14 at 2016 9:59 AM

CMSgt Mark Schubert — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 09:59:55 -0400

This is silly - I've ate a LOT of stuff I dropped - not just on the floor, but in the dirt, elsewhere - I ate it - I'm 53 and still here - so that's my litmus test. Not what some silly article says!

Response by CPL Patrick Brewbaker made Jun 14 at 2016 10:31 AM

CPL Patrick Brewbaker — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 10:31:51 -0400

The elusive Escherichia Coli.

Response by PO1 Brian Austin made Jun 14 at 2016 12:02 PM

PO1 Brian Austin — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 12:02:18 -0400

Depends on what's dropped and the "floor" it's dropped on, could also involve hand to paw combat with my dog.

Response by CPT Pedro Meza made Jun 14 at 2016 5:38 PM

CPT Pedro Meza — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 17:38:04 -0400

It is true, and my 8 grade science class testes this out in 2003, they dropped food on the floor and picked it up at five seconds and culture the food, nothings grew. We did discovered that max time is 8 seconds.

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Jun 18 at 2016 6:45 PM

COL Mikel J. Burroughs — Sat, 18 Jun 2016 18:45:02 -0400

SP5 Mark Kuzinski I have my own rule - I pick it up, brush it off or rinse it off and keeping eating, cooking, or whatever part of the process I'm in. Look at some the chow we've eaten in the field with bugs, nats, and other kinds of crap flying around (protein baby)!

Response by SSG Paul Headlee made Sep 28 at 2020 3:10 PM

SSG Paul Headlee — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 15:10:32 -0400

I exercised that rule just this morning. (I know. Just thought I'd bump this to the top.)