Is there any truth to the '5-second rule'?

Is there any truth to the ‘5-second rule’?

(NEXSTAR) – Uh oh. You just dropped your toast on the floor. It was the last piece, too. And you were enjoying it so, so much. You know where this is going. Since childhood, most of us have been aware of — and perhaps practiced — the five-second rule, which purports that any food item that’s accidentally dropped on the floor will not be significantly contaminated with bacteria if it’s picked up within five seconds. It’s a notion so engrained in …

Is there any truth to the '5-second rule'?

(NEXSTAR) – Uh oh. You just dropped your toast on the floor. It was the last piece, too. And you were enjoying it so, so much. You know where this is going. Since childhood, most of us have been aware of — and perhaps practiced — the five-second rule, which purports that any food item that’s accidentally dropped on the floor will not be significantly contaminated with bacteria if it’s picked up within five seconds. It’s a notion so engrained in …