The 5 second rule is simply an excuse for people who don't care about the germs:) A convenient myth so they (we) don't get quite so sour looks when we let some good food not waste.
This rule is made for children
by
Arkhan
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
I'm pretty sure this rule was "invented" by parents for children.
You know, children. Those small, humanoid-looking things that are incapable of holding ANYTHING in their hands without banging, dropping, or throwing it on the floor at least once a minute.
If a parent threw away every piece of a child's food that touched the floor, the food bill would triple. It ALL goes on the floor at some point.
I honestly believe this rule was made up for one reason. When your kids drop their food on the floor for the umpteenth time, you want to make them eat it anyway. So you say "five-second rule" and shove it in their slobbering little faces.
Re:This rule is made for children
by
Saige
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
It also makes sense to use this for children, in a way. Considering your floor, if you keep it clean and don't have a dog stepping in their urine and feces and walking across it all the time, doesn't exactly have tons of dangerous germs on it. It still has plenty though - but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.
I've seen a lot of studies done that suggest that children need their immune systems worked a bit more when they're younger to let them develop properly. That perhaps kids whose parents keep things too clean never have their immune systems worked properly, thus they can become hypersensitive, and cause issues with asthma and allergies.
The immune system evolved in an environment when it was constantly being used. If it doesn't get used, it probably goes overboard.
As a single data point, I remember reading an article talking about Crohn's Disease (inflammation and ulceration of the intestines and bowels) being treated by having patients drink a solution containing eggs of parasites that live in that area of the body. The immune system fights off the parasites, instead of being busy fighting the body. The parasites don't stay - they get killed, so the patients have to drink the solution every few weeks or so - but all the symptoms disappear.
Regardless, when I am a parent, the five-second rule will definitely stay, and if the kids play in the sand or dirt and get a little dirty, I'm not going to freak out - it's good for their body in the long run.
-- "You know your god is man-made when he hates all the same people you do."
How much cleaner the average countertop is in comparison to the floors these are tested on, and how long the food spends on those.
I try to keep my counters clean, but often they will have a small spot of leaked juice, or a fleck of this-or-that. Do you always wipe your counter down before preparing food, even with a quick snack?
Another nasty to focus on would be how short it takes a dishcloth to become truly smelly and unpleasant... dirty rags don't make clean dishes... which is why I prefer the short-use disposible variety
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The 5 second rule is simply an excuse for people who don't care about the germs :) A convenient myth so they (we) don't get quite so sour looks when we let some good food not waste.
I'm pretty sure this rule was "invented" by parents for children.
You know, children. Those small, humanoid-looking things that are incapable of holding ANYTHING in their hands without banging, dropping, or throwing it on the floor at least once a minute.
If a parent threw away every piece of a child's food that touched the floor, the food bill would triple. It ALL goes on the floor at some point.
I honestly believe this rule was made up for one reason. When your kids drop their food on the floor for the umpteenth time, you want to make them eat it anyway. So you say "five-second rule" and shove it in their slobbering little faces.
How much cleaner the average countertop is in comparison to the floors these are tested on, and how long the food spends on those.
I try to keep my counters clean, but often they will have a small spot of leaked juice, or a fleck of this-or-that. Do you always wipe your counter down before preparing food, even with a quick snack?
Another nasty to focus on would be how short it takes a dishcloth to become truly smelly and unpleasant... dirty rags don't make clean dishes... which is why I prefer the short-use disposible variety