Food you pick up after a few seconds of dropping it is still good to go, according to recent research from Aston University’s School of Life and Health Sciences, as first reported by Science Daily News. The findings show there may be some truth to the 5 second rule—where you have to eat food within 5 seconds of dropping it. It was an urban legend that now has a scientific proof.
The study which was conducted by final year Biology students and guided by Microbiology professor Anthony Hilton monitored the transfer of E.Coli and Staph from carpets and floors to bread, pasta, sweets and cookies that come in contact with the floor between 3 and 30 seconds. Results reveal that time is a crucial factor in the speed of bacterial transfer; the type of floor the food fell on also had an effect. Apparently, bacteria were least likely to be transferred from carpeted surfaces. Tiles have a tendency to become moist due to humidity and whatnot, and as we know, moist is a notorious breeding ground for bacteria.
The Aston team also surveyed a number of people who observe the five-second rule. Results reveal that 87 percent of people said they had no problem of picking up food dropped on the floor and have done it a couple of times; 55 percent of those who would were females; and 81 percent of these women really believe and observe the five second rule.
Hilton was excited about the results. "Our study showed surprisingly that a large majority of people are happy to consume dropped food, with women the most likely to do so. But they are also more likely to follow the 5 second rule, which our research has shown to be much more than an old wives tail," he told Science Daily News.
Learn to apply information like this on the job when you earn your food safety certification. Visit Learn2Serve for more details on how to obtain your food handler training course.
The study which was conducted by final year Biology students and guided by Microbiology professor Anthony Hilton monitored the transfer of E.Coli and Staph from carpets and floors to bread, pasta, sweets and cookies that come in contact with the floor between 3 and 30 seconds. Results reveal that time is a crucial factor in the speed of bacterial transfer; the type of floor the food fell on also had an effect. Apparently, bacteria were least likely to be transferred from carpeted surfaces. Tiles have a tendency to become moist due to humidity and whatnot, and as we know, moist is a notorious breeding ground for bacteria.
The Aston team also surveyed a number of people who observe the five-second rule. Results reveal that 87 percent of people said they had no problem of picking up food dropped on the floor and have done it a couple of times; 55 percent of those who would were females; and 81 percent of these women really believe and observe the five second rule.
Hilton was excited about the results. "Our study showed surprisingly that a large majority of people are happy to consume dropped food, with women the most likely to do so. But they are also more likely to follow the 5 second rule, which our research has shown to be much more than an old wives tail," he told Science Daily News.
Learn to apply information like this on the job when you earn your food safety certification. Visit Learn2Serve for more details on how to obtain your food handler training course.