You’ve probably heard of the “5-second rule,” the notion that if you pick up dropped food quickly, it remains germ-free. Actually, a high school student busted this myth in 2003, with a simple study involving gummy bears and cookies.When Jillian Clarke put these foods on floor tiles infected with E. coli bacteria for five seconds, then analyzed the food for bacteria, she found that in all cases, the food was contaminated, putting anyone who ate it at risk for a nasty case of food poisoning. … [Read more...]