Is the 5 second rule a real thing? Do other countries have this saying?
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ELI5: What is the 5 second rule?
It’s not a real thing. The very instant food touches a surface it can become contaminated. What transfers and how much depends on the food and the surface. Wet food is more easily contaminated. Here’s a video on the 5 second rule. https://youtu.be/ODfbaZ9_XzQ
Not really. The idea is that it takes time for the bacteria to get inti what was dropped, but actually most the bacteria gets stuck on there immediately, especially if its something moist or lands on a moist surface.
I think in Japan it might be “3 second rule”. I’m not sure if this is true but I remember watching Lucky Star as a teenager, and someone drops something, picks it up and eats it. They say something as they’re picking it up that was subtitled “3 second rule!” just as we would shout “5 second rule!” when eating off the floor in the UK.
I don’t speak Japanese though so I don’t know if the translation was accurate, and even if it is, I don’t know if it’s common. I found it interesting though.
No, it was made up by people to make it feel okay/justified to eat food that fell on the floor or ground. The moment something touches the ground, it can get contaminated, so rinse the food off at the very least if it’s something too delicious or you’re too hungry to throw it away.
If you have dogs, the 5 second rule is the MAXIMUM time you have to recover the morsel before the competition arrives. It is VERY real.
The 5 seconds also allows time for any dog/cat hair to stick to it better.
It’s worth point pointing out that the 5 second rule (sometimes it’s 10 seconds) is rubbish for two reasons-
1) The idea that it takes 5 seconds for the food to be contaminated is rubbish.
2) The idea that the food is suddenly unsafe because it’s been in contact with the floor is also rubbish.
A little common sense is needed really. If you drop a sandwich on the floor and it’s not obviously covered in filth, it’ll be just fine to eat. On the other hand if you’ve dropped your sandwich in a petri dish where you’re growing various bacterial cultures, you probably shouldn’t eat it, no matter how little time it spent there.
Im Mexican and grew up with my Mexican parents around the phrase “ya lo chupo el diablo”. Not even 5 seconds, as soon as it hits the floor into the trash it goes cause the devil already licked it my guy. Can’t risk consuming that energy.
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