We've all been there: you're enjoying a delicious snack when suddenly you fumble and watch in horror as your food hits the ground. It's still good if you have quick reflexes, right? According to researchers from Rutgers University in New Jersey, the answer is actually no.
Professor Donald W. Schaffner of Rutgers says no matter how fast you are at picking up fallen food, you are guaranteed to be picking up some additional bacteria with it.
“Bacteria can contaminate instantaneously,” Schaffner said in a statement on behalf of the university. But the amount and types of bacteria picked up by foods varies based on the type of food you drop, the surface you drop it on and finally, the amount of time it spends on the floor.
In the video above, The Washington Post explains which foods are the worst for picking up contaminants and which type of flooring is the best at reducing contamination.
Will you still follow the five-second rule? Let us know in the comments below.
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