The 5-Second Rule is scientifically false

Don't eat food that fell on the floor. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. While tempting, it's best to not eat food that fell on the floor. Since elementary school, we've all been taught the "5-Second Rule." The idea is simple: Food dropped on the floor is still perfectly edible if retrieved in under five seconds.