We’ve all done it.   An apple slice, baby bottle, or in my household, a whole chicken leg somehow finds itself on the floor under my dining table and what do  I do?  I pick it up, brush it off, maybe blow on it a couple times (what I’m blowing off, I am not exactly sure…) but I place it back on my kid’s plate, believing that all is well.  After all, 5-second rule, right?

For those who are blessed with toddlers who don’t throw food (we must clone your child--for the good of humankind and maternal patience) or for those who are simply more civilized than I, the 5-second rule involves eating a piece of dropped food or re-using a dropped baby bottle as long as it’s within five seconds.

I admit that I use the 5 second rule more than I should.  I also admit that I apply a clear hierarchy about my household surfaces when it comes to the 5-second rule.  Food that falls onto the table?  Fair game. Eat up!  Food that falls on the counter? OK, but only if I’ve recently wiped the counter.   Food that fell on the ground? Well, if it felt on my tile floor, I would probably blow on it feverishly and then eat it; if it fell on my carpet, it’s going straight into the compost bin.

Well, it turns out that the “go-to” 5-second rule (or any variation you may use in your household) may be as mythical as a child with clean hands.

In a study funded by Clorox, San Diego State University scientist found that germs may actually attach to some food in 5 seconds when dropped on surfaces, like countertops and kitchen tables.  5 seconds?!? Crud!  Who other than some Olympic Speedracing Gold Medalist can pick up a pineapple chunk off the floor within 5 seconds? When a piece of food drops on the floor in my household, I’m awkwardly crawling under the table trying to find it, trying to avoid more food landing in my hair, let alone whisking it up within 5 seconds!

So now I’m re-evaluating my 5-second rule.  And revising my cleaning practices.

Study Takes Bite out of 5-second Rule

The study team tested a carrot and a sippy cup after the items were dropped on countertops, highchair trays, tile floors and carpet.  On most surfaces, a significant amount of bacteria were transferred to both the carrot and sippy cup within 5 seconds.  Yep, 5-seconds!  The most bacteria were transferred to the carrot from the tile floor and carpeted floor, while for the sippy cup, it was the highchair tray.

What’s a Parent to Do?

Since I can’t really clean my cooked food, I am at least making sure the surface that our food falls on is clean.  I try to regularly disinfect my countertops, sink and floors with a bleach solution so that when food DOES fall down, germs will be kept at a minimum.  It’s more work than the 5-second rule, but since I can’t logistically duct-tape a banana into my child’s hands (Trust me, sometimes that’d be preferable to the flinging), it’s one way to reduce the germs that may be hitching a ride onto our food.

For more information on proper disinfecting, click here.