Boom. The best cupcake you have ever taken a bite out of just hit the floor. The devil and angel on either shoulder whisper in your ears.
Remember that first bite you took? How luxurious that was? Pick it up! No one will notice.
Don't listen to him! You’ll be sick for a week! Do you really want to risk that?
Well… do you?
Someone around the cupcake table is bound to shout out, “five-second rule.” I decided to take the matter into my own hands and ask a professional. Dr. Shane Cummings practices general medicine in a small clinic called Alpine Urgent Care in Anchorage, Alaska. I interviewed him about the five-second rule and how we can make sure we're staying safe.
“You could probably call it the 2-second rule,” he said. “It’s likely not a linear relationship between time and the rate of infection. I would imagine the curve is quite steep in the first couple of seconds, and then it plateaus.” Dr. Cummings claimed. In other words, most of the damage is done within the first couple of seconds.
Where you drop your food is a significant factor, too. For example, Dr. Cummings said, “It depends on whether you’re at home or in a restaurant. The stakes (not steaks - haha) are a little higher.” While we were talking, he showed the “leftovers” on the floor underneath his daughter’s high-chair. He said she sometimes “grazes” there, but he doesn’t recommend that. Dropping your apple at the park where kids, other families, and complete strangers have been crossing paths is much different than dropping it on your kitchen floor.
I asked Dr. Cummings if he would apply the two-second rule in a few different scenarios: sandwich on the kitchen floor (yes), chip with guac at the park (no), gum on the subway (no way!). He also stressed that especially now during Covid times, we need to be aware of what has been tracked into our homes (leave your shoes at the door, wipe surfaces, and wash your hands frequently).
So, next time you drop that delicious treasure, imagine it as an Olympic event - you’ve got (less than) two seconds. Go!
cool!