Scientists disprove 'five-second rule'

The controversial "five-second rule" - the one that allows us to eat dropped food if it's quickly scooped off the floor - is a bunch of boloney, according to Clemson University food scientist Paul Dawson.

Though previous research has shown we may have up to a minute to rescue certain types of spilled food before it becomes contaminated, Dawson and his students made a strong case for the "zero-second rule."

They found that salmonella and other bacteria can live up to four weeks on dry surfaces and be immediately transferred to food.

Still, most researchers agree that the critical thing is not time, but location. It's OK to brush off bit of bread roll that fell from the stroller onto the pavement and give it to your screaming child, for example, because the street is generally is cleaner than a kitchen floor in terms of the types of germs that cause illnesses, say some researchers.