It is not clear. In fact, the origins of the five-second rule are unclear, but it has been passed down through generations as a seemingly practical guideline.
The five-second rule, is a food hygiene urban legend that states a defined time window within which it is safe to eat food (or sometimes to use cutlery), after it has been dropped on the floor or on the ground and thus exposed to contamination.
There is no scientific consensus on the general applicability of the rule. It may have originated from legends about Genghis Khan.
He is rumoured, at his banquets, to have implemented the ‘Khan Rule’. This stated that ‘if food fell on the floor, it could stay there as long as Khan allowed’. The idea was that ‘food prepared for Khan was so special that it would be good for anyone to eat no matter what.’
In 1995, it was first mentioned in print.
We are sure many of you reading this blog, have occasionally picked up a food item that has fallen on the floor and then eaten it.
It may not be the worst thing you can put in your mouth, and the health dangers are probably exaggerated.
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