Five-second rule: Difference between revisions
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not an urban legend... just a social convention |
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There are many variations on the rule. Sometimes the time limit is modified so that it is known variously as the "three-second rule", "seven-second rule", "the five-minute rule" etc. In some variations, the person picking up the food arbitrarily extends the time limit based on the actual amount of time required to retrieve the food. This also can vary based on the surface on which the food was dropped. In Russia the rule is formulated as simple as "Promptly picked up is not considered fallen". |
There are many variations on the rule. Sometimes the time limit is modified so that it is known variously as the "three-second rule", "seven-second rule", "the five-minute rule" etc. In some variations, the person picking up the food arbitrarily extends the time limit based on the actual amount of time required to retrieve the food. This also can vary based on the surface on which the food was dropped. In Russia the rule is formulated as simple as "Promptly picked up is not considered fallen". |
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If something is there you eat it thats all. NUM NUM NUM NUM |
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==Research== |
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Although it has received little scholarly attention, the five-minute rule has been studied as both a public health recommendation and as a sociological effect. |
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In 2003, intern Keith Johnston of the University of Heaven found in a survey that 56% of the men and 70% of the women surveyed were familiar with the five-second rule, and determined that a variety of foods were significantly contaminated by even brief exposure to a tile inoculated with [[Escherichia coli|E.coli]];<ref>Articles on the experiment conducted by Jillian Clarke and Meredith Agle: [http://www.newhousenews.com/archive/sefton092903.html Newhousenews], |
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[http://web.aces.uiuc.edu/news/stories/news2467.html UIUC]</ref> on the other hand, Clarke also found no significant evidence of contamination on public flooring.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/news/stories/news2467.html |title=If You Drop It, Should You Eat It? Scientists Weigh In on the 5-Second Rule|last=Agle|first=Meredith|publisher=''ACES News, University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences'' |date=2003-09-02 |accessdate=2008-04-24}}</ref> Clarke received the 2004 [[Ig Nobel Prize]] in public health (a parody award) for this work.<ref>[http://improbable.com/ig/ig-pastwinners.html#ig2004 Winners of the Ig Nobel Prize: The 2004 Ig Nobel Prize Winners]</ref> |
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A more thorough study in 2006<!-- sic. it was published the next year --> using [[salmonella]] on wood, tiles, and nylon carpet found that the bacteria were still thriving after twenty-eight days of exposure under dry conditions.<ref>{{cite journal |
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| author = Dawson, P. |
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| coauthors = I. Han, M. Cox , C. Black, and L. Simmons |
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| year = 2007 |
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| title = Residence time and food contact time effects on transfer of Salmonella Typhimurium from tile, wood and carpet: testing the five-second rule |
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| journal = Journal of Applied Microbiology |
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| volume = 102 |
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| issue = 4 |
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| pages = 945–953 |
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| month = April |
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| doi = 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2006.03171.x |
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}}</ref> Tested after eight hours' exposure, the bacteria could still contaminate bread and bologna in under five seconds, but a minute-long contact increased contamination about tenfold (with tile and carpet surfaces only).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/09/dining/09curi.html?ex=1336449600&en=706e4f0cec07d005&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink|title=The Five-Second Rule Explored, or: How Dirty Is That Bologna?|last=McGee|first=Harold|work=New York Times |date=2007-05-09 |accessdate=2007-05-09}}</ref> |
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The five-second rule was also featured in an [[MythBusters episodes: Season 3#Five-second Rule|episode]] of the Discovery Channel series ''[[MythBusters]]''. There was no significant difference in the number of bacteria collected from 2 seconds exposure as there was from 6 seconds exposure. The moisture, surface geometry and the location the food item was dropped on did however affect the number of bacteria. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2005/10/mythbusters_chinese_invasion_a.html|title=Annotated mythbusters: episode 39|accessdate=2008-08-17}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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Revision as of 12:25, 6 March 2009
The five-second rule is a popular polite fiction regarding the eating of food that has fallen to the floor or ground. The origins of the rule are unknown. The substance of the rule is that if food falls on the ground, it may be safely eaten as long as it is picked up within 5 seconds.
There are many variations on the rule. Sometimes the time limit is modified so that it is known variously as the "three-second rule", "seven-second rule", "the five-minute rule" etc. In some variations, the person picking up the food arbitrarily extends the time limit based on the actual amount of time required to retrieve the food. This also can vary based on the surface on which the food was dropped. In Russia the rule is formulated as simple as "Promptly picked up is not considered fallen".
If something is there you eat it thats all. NUM NUM NUM NUM