No the 5 second rule is NOT true. Contamination from bacteria when food hits the floor is instantaneous. I asked this question on August 10th to see what people thought about it. If the food item is dry it doesn't pick up as much bacteria per second as something that is wet. However they both pick up bacteria the nano-second they touch the floor. Is it safe to eat? Maybe.... But do you know WHAT bacteria is on that floor? No we don't. If you swabbed the bottom of your shoes or even your "clean" bare feet you would be shocked as to what is actually on them. We did this in microbiology last term. Even clean bare feet can carry trace amounts of e-coli, and streptococcus. Does that mean we are taking a risk of eating whats been on the floor even less than 5 seconds? Maybe, but we all do it anyway. That's why we have an immune system to kill foreign bodies, and bacteria that enters our bodies without us knowing it. If someone has a compromised immune system, then I certainly would advise against it, but a normal healthy person... Even a child can handle the bacterias in minute amounts.
