Forget the five-second rule—food eaten off the ground is always nasty

According to a new article in National Geographic, the zero-second rule should replace the five-second rule. Not that anyone took these regulations seriously, anyway, but a study from Clemson University has concluded that bacteria can be transferred to food as soon as it hits the ground. Some scientists are saying that where the food is dropped is more important than how long it’s been on the ground. Food dropped on the sidewalk, for example, might be more salvageable for the truly waste-wary than food dropped on the kitchen floor, which collects more dangerous bacteria. For those who were wondering, the bathroom floor is also, apparently, a terrible place from which to reclaim dropped food.

• Scientists count five-second rule down to zero for safety [Toronto Star]