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It is Safe to Eat Food from the Floor or the 5 Seconds Rule is False?!

Updated on February 28, 2011

I have seen people pick up food from the floor and put it back to their mouths. One time, my little brother picked up the French fries on the floor and ate it. We were at a fast food restaurant and you don’t want to imagine how dirty the floor was. Seriously, is there any bacteria if the floor is clean? And, do you believe in the 5 seconds rule? I heard from others that after you clean the floor, the floor is clean. Yes. I won't deny it but I strongly believed there are bacterias on the floor. Of course, people can't see those bacterias with their eyes unless they have a microscope.

According to Dr. Roy M. Gullick, the 5 seconds rule probably should become the zero-second rule. Whenever food is dropped to the floor, bacterias climbed immediately, no pause, no delay, nada! Foods that are wet like apple slices, ice cream, pancakes with syrups are easy targets of bacteria.


Factors that influence the risk of bacteria in the food when it is on the floor includes:

  • type of floor
  • type of food
  • type of bacteria
  • how long the food has been on the floor

According to scientists, the 5 seconds rule is false and quickness is not the key. In fact, there is no key. Anything that land on ground would pick up bacterias real quick, in less than a second. Some bacteria is harmless to our bodies while some would send you to the emergency room right away. Diarrhea and vomit are common effects. So, pick up the food and throw it away.


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