Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Five-Second Rule Explored, or How Dirty Is That Bologna?
NY Times ^ | May 9, 2007 | HAROLD McGEE

Posted on 05/12/2007 1:50:22 PM PDT by neverdem

A COUPLE of weeks ago I saw a new scientific paper from Clemson University that struck me as both pioneering and hilarious.

Accompanied by six graphs, two tables and equations whose terms include “bologna” and “carpet,” it’s a thorough microbiological study of the five-second rule: the idea that if you pick up a dropped piece of food before you can count to five, it’s O.K. to eat it.

I first heard about the rule from my then-young children and thought it was just a way of having fun at snack time and lunch. My daughter now tells me that fun was...

--snip--

What do these numbers tell us about the five-second rule? Quick retrieval does mean fewer bacteria, but it’s no guarantee of safety. True, Jillian Clarke found that the number of bacteria on the floor at the University of Illinois was so low it couldn’t be measured, and the Clemson researchers resorted to extremely high contamination levels for their tests. But even if a floor — or a countertop, or wrapper — carried only a thousandth the number of bacteria applied by the researchers, the piece of food would be likely to pick up several bacteria.

The infectious dose, the smallest number of bacteria that can actually cause illness, is as few as 10 for some salmonellas, fewer than 100 for the deadly strain of E. coli.

Of course we can never know for sure how many harmful microbes there are on any surface. But we know enough now to formulate the five-second rule, version 2.0: If you drop a piece of food, pick it up quickly, take five seconds to recall that just a few bacteria can make you sick, then take a few more to think about where you dropped it and whether or not it’s worth eating.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: South Carolina
KEYWORDS: fivesecondrule; foodcontamination; foodpoisoning; health; microbiology
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-66 next last
To: Gorzaloon
The dog did the same thing before our last date, and I kissed her.

You kissed the dog?

41 posted on 05/12/2007 3:41:05 PM PDT by PAR35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: PAR35
The dog did the same thing before our last date, and I kissed her.

You kissed the dog?

Funny thing, I actually did run into my prom date at a 35th reunion! She lost her puppy fat and turned into a fox.

42 posted on 05/12/2007 3:50:25 PM PDT by Gorzaloon (Global Warming: A New Kind Of Scientology for the Rest Of Us.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: neverdem; patton
it goes like this...

child #1 drops the pacifier, you quickly retrieve and
sanitize before returning it to the baby

child #2 drops the pacifier, you wipe it off on your
shirt and return it to the baby

child #3 drops the pacifier, you let the dog lick it
and you pop ‘er back in

btw, our pooch always smothers patton with kisses
and i still kiss my guy. ;)

43 posted on 05/12/2007 3:51:39 PM PDT by leda (19yrs ... only 4,981yrs to go ;))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: neverdem

The Mythbusters did the study, long before this goofy article. Food is easily contaminated when it touches anything, so don’t eat it unless you are an otter and wash everything beforehand.


44 posted on 05/12/2007 3:54:30 PM PDT by Tarpon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jwh_Denver

LMAO! (Laughing my airedale off.)


45 posted on 05/12/2007 3:58:31 PM PDT by Enterprise (I can't talk about liberals anymore because some of the words will get me sent to rehab.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: neverdem

I ate dirt when I was a kid and am still alive to type this. Imagine that! (Though I did have my tonsils yanked at 5 years old, and remember that too! But never had strep throat since.. imagine that!)


46 posted on 05/12/2007 4:13:59 PM PDT by b4its2late (Liberalism is a mental disorder.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: neverdem

Unless I drop it on a pile of dog poop (or the equivalent) I pick it up and eat it. If there is dirt or grass on it I brush it off or blow it off. I never got sick that I know of.

I wouldn’t eat the ice cream cone dropped in dirt unless I had a way off gettint the dirt off. I don’t like eating gritty stuff or stuff with rocks in it.

I once dropped a hot dog at a beach part and brushed it off. I missed a pebble and cracked a tooth.


47 posted on 05/12/2007 4:44:50 PM PDT by Right Wing Assault ("..this administration is planning a 'Right Wing Assault' on values and ideals.." - John Kerry)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: b4its2late

http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/pica.html


48 posted on 05/12/2007 5:02:33 PM PDT by neverdem (May you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows that you're dead.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: DugwayDuke
The rule was if you could pick it up before a dog got it, it was safe to eat.

ROTFLO! We're going to start using that rule at our house. We have a lab who is a chow hound. If we can beat him to it, it will have barely touched down!

49 posted on 05/12/2007 5:10:23 PM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul. WWPD (what would Patton do))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: A_perfect_lady

LOL. Or rub it on your shirt sleeve.


50 posted on 05/12/2007 5:14:16 PM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul. WWPD (what would Patton do))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: Enterprise
Well, as long as I was sure it was just her mouth...
51 posted on 05/12/2007 5:27:53 PM PDT by Erasmus (This tagline on paid leave, pending the deportation hearing.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Eepsy

Agreed. A dropped cookie or cracker is one thing. Anything sticky or moist gets chucked.

That said, I had a cat who would steal the ham out of my sandwiches and who guzzled milk right out of my glass and had to be told to share if I wanted any. I drank after him essentially every meal and never ended up sick from it.


52 posted on 05/12/2007 6:19:47 PM PDT by Fire_on_High (I am so proud of what we were...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Fire_on_High

I had a cat once that drank tequilla. Straight. Named him Quervo.


53 posted on 05/12/2007 8:30:23 PM PDT by DugwayDuke (A patriot will cast their vote in the manner most likely to deny power to democrats.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: DugwayDuke

LOL yikes! I’ve heard of pets who’d lap at beer before but never hard liquor.


54 posted on 05/12/2007 9:13:26 PM PDT by Fire_on_High (I am so proud of what we were...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: Fire_on_High
LOL yikes! I’ve heard of pets who’d lap at beer before but never hard liquor.

I have a kitty who has been having respiratory problems. Thinking about starting him on whiskey, for medicinal purposes of course.

55 posted on 05/12/2007 9:22:38 PM PDT by Grizzled Bear ("Does not play well with others.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: neverdem

Pica wasn’t even thought of when I was a kid. LOL! But luckily, it was only dirt I ate... Sheesh!


56 posted on 05/13/2007 5:49:28 PM PDT by b4its2late (Liberalism is a mental disorder.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: gcruse
I'd rather be French-kissed by a human being than a dog any day. "Certain human beings, that is. I don't want to leave the impression I'm easy."


Ooooo...Come and give mama some sugar....

57 posted on 05/13/2007 5:56:51 PM PDT by Spiff (Rudy Giuliani Quote (NY Post, 1996) "Most of Clinton's policies are very similar to most of mine.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Enterprise

I honestly didn’t see your post before I posted mine. Same idea, same photo. We’re pretty sick individuals...


58 posted on 05/13/2007 5:58:26 PM PDT by Spiff (Rudy Giuliani Quote (NY Post, 1996) "Most of Clinton's policies are very similar to most of mine.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Calvin Locke

Actually the question is,”Is that the last piece of balogna for the next 100 miles? Should I eat it or should I suck rocks? Doh. EAT IT.


59 posted on 05/13/2007 6:02:03 PM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Spiff

Ack!


60 posted on 05/13/2007 6:04:25 PM PDT by gcruse
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-66 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson