Coca-Cola denies US consumer group’s claim that its colouring ingredient causes cancer; yet the company says it will modify its drinks in India like it has in California
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Does the five-second rule really work?
Many of us would eat a dropped biscuit as long as we picked it up really quickly. However, several studies have found that germs can contaminate food almost instantly
According to the widely-known ‘five-second rule’, food dropped on the ground is OK to eat if it is picked up within five seconds. While many people earnestly believe this claim, others follow it as polite social fiction to avoid wasting food. However, there is no scientific basis for this rule – in fact, there is plenty of research proving that food that falls on the floor is contaminated instantly.
Dr Jyoti D Vora, head of the biochemistry, food science and quality control department at Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai, says, ‘The five-second rule is baseless. People think that if they don’t see dirt on their food, it can be considered safe to eat. However, never underestimate the efficacy of disease-causing microorganisms. Whether you fall ill or not does not depend on how long food has been in contact with a dirty floor but on your immune system’s ability to fight germs.’
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