Scientist reveals how long is too long

They were floored by the results.

Everyone’s picked up food fast to prevent contamination — but is this method tried and true or merely an old wives’ tale? A Chicago microbiologist has put the so-called “five-second rule” to the test to scientifically gauge if it’s safe to eat food that’s fallen on the floor, as seen in a TikTok clip with over 1 million views.

“I thought it would be fun for people to know all the little nastiness that we don’t think about every day,” Nicholas Aicher, senior quality control analyst, told Jam Press.