Can you eat food that falls on the floor?

The most serious factor in food spoilage is not time, but the surface moisture and the characteristics of the food.

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FOOD THAT FALLS ON THE GROUND CAN BE EATEN

When can you eat food that has fallen on the floor? And what are the risks? There are no universal rules for these cases, and in general, it's almost never appropriate to eat food that has fallen on the floor, even when we do so with the good intention of avoiding waste. But time certainly doesn't affect the potential risks, according to an ancient, unscientific rule called the "five-second rule." According to this bizarre theory, five seconds is the time within which, if food that has fallen on the floor is picked up, it can be safely eaten. This isn't true: bacteria attach to food as soon as it comes into contact with a contaminated surface, and if anything, the passing of seconds merely increases the bacterial load. 

Risks of eating food that has fallen on the floor

The risks of eating food that has fallen on the floor are linked to the bacteria present on the floor Indoors, which, according to a 2015 British study, can be even higher than those found outdoors. This carries a real risk of gastrointestinal problems, and the risk increases if the home also includes pets (in this case, the most dangerous bacteria is the one that leads to toxoplasmosis). 

The humidity factor

But the determining factor in determining whether and when food that falls to the ground can be eaten is not the weather, but rather the condition of the food and the surface where it lands. Everything depends on thehumidity, a crucial vector of bacteria. Surfaces such as the carpet They are more absorbent than tiles or steel and therefore transfer less bacteria. Moist foods, such as watermelon, certainly collect more bacteria than dry foods, such as bread, baked goods, and cookies. Therefore, the decision to eat food that falls on the floor should be based on these factors: if you are in a dirty environment, not your own home, with a lot of people around, it's best not to touch food that falls on the floor. But if you drop a cookie while watching television in your living room, don't worry too much about picking it up and eating it. 

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