Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Whoops – there goes your bagel!


A scientist at the University of Colorado School of Medicine says that the “five-second rule” (or “three-second rule”, depending on where you grew up)  -- where food is considered save to eat if it’s only been on the floor for five (or three) seconds – may be an OK guideline. But according to a report on the Lifehacker website, Dr. Harley Rotbart, a professor of microbiology and pediatric infectious diseases, says it’s more about where you drop the food, as opposed to how long it sits on the ground.

The doctor says that if you drop your bagel on a city sidewalk, it’s probably OK to brush it off and eat it, since the pavement is cleaner than most kitchen floors. But if you're at home, and your bagel slips through your buttery fingers and ends up on the kitchen floor, Dr. Rotbart says the “zero-second rule” should apply “because the bacteria from uncooked meat and chicken juices are more hazardous than the ‘soil’ bacteria outside.”

Has Dr. Rotbart ever been to a city? I love my hometown of Boston, but between the dirt, debris, unknown chemicals, and copious amounts of dog pee, my rule is dropped food = discarded food.

And although I’m no Mr. Clean, I tend not to let meat or chicken juices fester on my kitchen floor. So I’d feel pretty good about grabbing that dropped bagel and putting it back on my plate. (Unless I had a friend over for breakfast, when I would, OF COURSE, throw the bagel away and make a new one – unless they didn’t see me drop it!)

So what’s your rule about picking up food you’ve dropped on the floor? Just pick it up and eat it? Throw it in the trash? Or does it all depend on how long it’s been on the ground?

Footnote: Dr. Rotbart says your bathroom floor is another “zero-second rule” zone. I’m afraid to ask this, but have you ever heard of anyone eating in the bathroom?

4 comments:

  1. I never eat anything that has been droped, no matter if its my floor or not.

    but it is a bit scary that a public sidewalk is cleaner than the floor in my house...uggggg

    and dont think if Im ever a guest in your house I wont be watching making sure you dont drop my food....lol

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  2. I would more likely eat stuff that dropped on my floor as opposed to a side walk - what he is saying does not seem to make much sense to me.

    I bleach my counters every time I am cooking raw meat as I am that anal sometimes - but I do like a clean kitchen!

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  3. An award awaits you @ http://noexcusenoexplanation.blogspot.com/

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  4. Wowza. I have seen what is poured onto city sidewalk... drinks, spit, urine of homeless people. I think I'll stick with the dangers of my kitchen... but seriously who DOES eat in their bathroom? I think that grosses me out more than eating off the floor.

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