Health

Doctor Weighs In: Is the Five-Second Rule Fact or Fiction?

Can you eat food that’s been dropped on the ground if you pick it up within five seconds?

We’ve all accidentally dropped food on the ground before. How we proceed from there differs per person, though. Do you eat the food in question or do you throw it in the trash immediately? Many people apply the five-second rule, which means you can eat the food as long as it hasn’t been on the ground for longer than five seconds. But is this wise?