The Five Second Rule: Food on the Floor

What's "dirty" food? AT: Nursery is blogging the latest Harold McGee article in the Times (The Five-Second Rule Explored (May 9, 2007), which takes a good look at the ol' Five Second Rule (we always thought it was seven.)

We find ourselves pretty laid back about a carrot that's spent a moment or two on the kitchen tiles. We're of the mind that there are currently much more important safety issues regarding our food: our over-fished seas and heavy-metals in our fish, the irresponsible use of pesticides on our crops, the amount of fuel it takes to transport a beloved organic apple from New Zealand, etc.

So we put it to you:

(photo: bambamthepug.com)

Comments (4)

I have a cat. No matter how clean I am at home, there is cat hair somewhere and always the cat waiting near my feet when I cook. If anything falls on the floor and she doesn't get it first, I have to toss it. I'm just not eating hairy food......

I rarely have much of a choice in the matter. My beagle hovers in the kitchen whenever I'm cooking, and he's surprisingly fast for such a chubby little beast.

I tend to pick up, rinse, and carry on...but obviously that applies only to rinsable foods. If, say, a bit of chopped up canned tomato falls on the floor, the dog gets it. Sometimes I just feel like being nice to the dog though...pups love their carrots!

If it lands on the counter, I'll wash it off if possible, sometimes. Depending on how long it's been since I cleaned it. Once it hits the floor...it's gone.