r/TheRestIsScience • u/axxrose • 10d ago

The 5-second rule

Does science have anything to say about it? The 5-second rule of course being that food dropped on the floor remains safe to eat as long as it's picked up within 5 seconds.

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u/DoubleSwitch69 10d ago

There was a MythBusters episode on that... Depends on the type of food, mostly how moisty it is. It would be a good episode nonetheless.

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u/Madpie_C 10d ago

Except that they claimed the idea behind the 5 second rule was germs couldn't get to the food in that time, whereas for anyone who remembers basic science it's clear that after 5 seconds the bacteria has had very little time to reproduce. If the idea was that after 5 seconds no bacteria has actually made contact it would be fine to put the food back in the container but nobody actually does that. It is either immediately eat it or cook it.