Locations:
Search IconSearch

The 5-Second Rule and Fallen Food: Fact or Fiction?

The short answer from a registered dietitian

ice cream cone dropped on floor

Q: That treat that you’ve been craving just slipped through your fingers and hit the floor. Can you eat it without worry if you scoop it up within five seconds?

A: Maybe — but do you really want to risk it?

Advertisement

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

Food that lands on the floor will pick up some bacteria. That is a fact. But will that contamination be enough to give you gastric regret? That’s the question at the heart of the debate concerning the “5-second rule.”

To start, the concept behind the rule about eating dropped food is solid. The less time food spends on the floor, the fewer bacteria it picks up. Kind of common sense, right?

But the 5-second rule “is a significant oversimplification of what actually happens” regarding bacteria transfer from floor to food, according to a 2016 study published in an American Society for Microbiology journal.

Just consider all the variables. The type of food fumbled is significant, as is the surface the food hits. Time on the floor is only one part of the equation.

So let’s look at these factors.

On the food front, moistness matters — and it matters a lot. A juicy slice of watermelon basically serves as a bacteria sponge once it hits the ground. Expect it to potentially soak up nastiness such as E. coli and staph infection.

Drop a hard pretzel on the floor, however, and there’s far less reason to worry.

(An interesting side note: People are more willing to eat cookies and candy off the floor than veggies such as cauliflower or broccoli, according to a much-cited research project at the University of Illinois.)

Advertisement

When it comes to floor surfaces, carpet is the safest for a pick-it-up-and-eat move as the fibers hold less bacteria. Tile is riskier. Wood flooring? That’s tougher to nail down given all the different types and finishes.

Consider the location, too. Let’s just say eating something off of your living room carpet seems like a better bet than grazing off of a high-traffic gas station restroom.

Again, common sense.

So back to the 5-second rule and the main question: Should you eat that dropped doughnut or consider it a sacrifice to the god of clumsiness? Researchers come down on both sides of the debate.

Where everyone finds common ground, however, is on the seriousness of foodborne illnesses.

Consider this: An estimated 48 million Americans will get sick from a foodborne disease this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 130,000 will be hospitalized. Roughly 3,000 will die.

That’s a stomach-churning reality — and definitely something to think about before nibbling off a floor buffet.

Dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD

Advertisement

Learn more about our editorial process.

Related Articles

Raw chicken being cut up on cutting board
February 14, 2025/Infectious Disease
Should You Wash Raw Chicken?

Rinsing raw chicken raises the risk of spreading harmful bacteria and causing foodborne illness

person walking away from toilet holding upset stomach
January 24, 2024/Digestive
Fried Rice Syndrome: Why It Happens and How To Avoid It

Keep cooked rice and pasta in your fridge — not on your counter — to help prevent this sneaky food poisoning

a death cap mushroom
March 24, 2023/Digestive
Poisonous Mushrooms: What To Know

Mushroom poisoning is real — and it can cause liver failure

Person doubled over in pain due to food poisoning.
August 5, 2022/Digestive
How Long Food Poisoning Lasts and What To Do About It

Food poisoning typically passes within 12 to 48 hours, with symptoms including diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain and vomiting

Egg with expiration date stamp
March 26, 2020/Nutrition
Trash It or Eat It? The Truth About Expiration Dates

How long is it really safe to keep foods?

goldfish crackers
August 13, 2018/Infectious Disease
Is Any Food Safe? Salmonella Shows Up in Surprising Places

How to protect yourself from food poisoning

An array of copper-rich foods on wooden board, inlcuding liver, sardines, legumes and seeds
February 26, 2025/Nutrition
The Health Benefits of Copper

This mineral — best found in foods — is essential for skin, bone and immune health

Person about to eat a plate full of pancakes with blueberries on top
February 26, 2025/Digestive
Can Food Change the Color of Your Poop?

Diet offers a rainbow of possibilities when it comes to the hue of your stool

Trending Topics

Person in bed sleeping on their side, covers off
Breathing Problems? Try These Sleep Positions

If you’re feeling short of breath, sleep can be tough — propping yourself up or sleeping on your side may help

A couple looking at skyline, with one person slightly behind the other, head bent down
What Is Anxious Attachment Style — and Do You Have It?

If you fear the unknown or find yourself needing reassurance often, you may identify with this attachment style

Glasses and bottle of yellow-colored prebiotic soda, with mint, lemon and ginger garnish
Are Prebiotic Sodas Good for You?

If you’re looking to boost your gut health, it’s better to get fiber from whole foods

Ad