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This tale has been circulating in school cafeterias across the globe for many years.
The so-called '5-second rule' is the idea that it's safe to eat food dropped on the floor if picked up within five seconds.
Is there actually any validity to this rule?
TikToker @HowDirtyIs aimed at finally resolving this argument - and it brings unwelcome news if you've relied on the five-second rule.
The researcher released a Petri dish onto a surface for different durations, spanning from 0 seconds to a full minute.
Next, they stored the samples in a refrigerator to chill, waiting for the results to turn evident.
Surprisingly, the petri dish contained hundreds of bacterial colonies mere seconds after being exposed to the surface.
"Whether it's 5 seconds or 60, it will turn out ugly regardless," stated @HowDirtyIs.
The actual beginning of the 5-second rule remains unknown.
Certain individuals attribute its origin to the fearsome Mongol leader Genghis Khan, who insisted that guests at his feasts should consume food even if it dropped on the ground.
Some credit this idea to Julia Child’s television program from the 1960s, where she lifted a dropped pancake off the stovetop and assured her audience that it was fine to consume.
In either case, @HowDirtyIs was set on discovering if there was any validity to it.
Following an extremely short pause (referred to as '0 seconds' by the TikToker), the petri dish became blanketed with numerous bacterial colonies.
'It seems that even 0 seconds is too much time,' they commented.
The plates that were left on the ground for 5-20 seconds appeared quite alike, however, things began to escalate significantly after that point.
Following 30 seconds, the dish developed a massive colony, which was nicknamed the 'big boy' by @HowDirtyIs.
Audience members had differing opinions in their remarks; some described the discoveries as 'disturbing.'
"JustAmericans think this rule applies. No real grown-ups would consider it anything but disgusting," remarked a commenter.
Someone else penned: 'No more eating food off the floor...'
And one quipped: "Bro spoiled my spaghetti."
Nevertheless, other spectators remained unfazed, with one even remarking that the bacteria added extra flavor.
"I mean, I followed the five-second rule all through my childhood and I’m still fine," stated one user.
Another addition: "I once consumed a few chocolate chips one at a time from the floor, and I was okay."
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