Window Of Opportunity

 Science is good. It helps keep us safe. When disease comes and spoils our day, we can count on doctors and researchers to help us out, in a pinch. You might remember a little virus that made its way around the globe not too long ago that was on its way to eliminating the human race, but medical science jumped in and stopped it dead in its tracks. 

Mostly, anyway. 

Each day we are presented with new and exciting ways that we can live longer, happier lives because scientists are hard at work making it possible. 

Way to go science!

In keeping with this trend, I feel that it's important to pass along the research done by Dcotor Bryan Quoc Le. Doctor Bryan is a food scientist and author who would like us all to know that there is no such thing as a "Five Second Rule."

You read that right. When you drop that cookie on the floor but you scoop it up before you can get to five Mississippi, you're still going to die. According to Doctor Bryan, it does not matter if the Oreo is on the floor for five seconds or five minutes. Dropping food on the floor exposes it to bacteria. He cites a 2007 study in the Journal of Applied Microbiology found that Salmonella Typhimurium, a common cause of foodborne illness, can transfer to foods almost immediately on contact. “Bacteria, including pathogens, can transfer to the food within five seconds or less and grow on the food,” 

What if it's the last piece of pizza that you were saving for a late night snack and when you took it out of the refrigerator when no one else was looking and it landed crust side down? Research suggests that you're better off with a slice of pizza than a slice of watermelon, but there will still be contamination. 

So we're dealing with a risk factor here. You could eat raw steak or fish and be just fine. A swig of pickle brine from the jar you found but can't really place the time or date when you put it on the shelf probably won't kill you. 

And neither will the peanut butter and jelly sandwich that you snatched up with a second to spare. Just don't let Doctor Bryan catch you doing it.