Eat Out Eat Well

Food for Fun and Thought

The Five Second Rule: A Bunch of Baloney!

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Five second rule in a WikiWorld comic.


Also the three second, eight second, and you name the number rule.  No kidding.

So why is it a bunch of baloney that when you drop a slice of bologna on the floor as you are making a sandwich for lunch, even if you reclaim it right away — certainly in three or five seconds, it still may be crawling with organisms by the time it nestles between slices of bread?

What Is The Five Second Rule?

Although not inscribed in stone, in general terms the five second rule means that if food falls on the floor you can safely eat it if you pick it up within five seconds.  There are a whole bunch of variations having to do with the length of time the food remains on the floor.  I remember one of my son’s college hockey teammates firmly holding to an eight second rule – as he snatched a post-game French fry off of the rink’s snack bar floor.  Have you ever closely looked at the floors in a hockey rink?  Even the seasoned coach turned green.

A Zero Second Rule?

A food scientist and his students at the food science and human nutrition department at Clemson University set out to determine if the rule has some validity or if it’s just a bunch of bunk. Horror of horrors, they found that bacteria are transferred from tabletops and floors to food in five seconds and that the five second rule doesn’t apply when it comes to eating food that has fallen on the floor.

Making a strong case for a zero second rule, they found that salmonella and other bacteria can live up to four weeks on dry surfaces and that they are immediately transferred to food.

Location, Location:  The Sidewalk Is Better Than The Kitchen Floor

Their findings are in conflict with previous research by Connecticut College students who scattered apple slices and Skittles on the dining hall and snack bar floors and let them reside there for five, 10, 30, and 60 seconds. The apple slices picked up bacteria after one minute and nearly five minutes scooted by before the Skittles became contaminated.

Most researchers agree the important thing is not how long food takes a vacation on the floor, but where that stay is. Believe it or not, according to a professor of microbiology and pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and author of Germ Proof Your Kids, it may be okay to brush off and give back the gummed up bagel that your kid tossed out of the stroller. Pavement has fewer types of germs that cause illnesses than the kitchen floor which is probably laden with health hazardous bacteria from uncooked meat and chicken juices.

SocialDieter Tip:

A universally applied five second rule for dropped food is bogus.  Food can get contaminated with health hazardous bacteria very quickly.  There is some dropped food wiggle room depending mostly on where the dropped food lands.  Amazingly, food dropped outside, as long as it has dropped on pavement or blacktop rather than on the soil in a chicken coop or an animal pasture, is generally safer than food dumped on your kitchen floor.

And, FYI:

  • 100 billion: bacteria in our mouths
  • 100 trillion: bacteria in our gastrointestinal tracts
  • 2.5 billion: bacteria found in one gram of garden soil
  • 7.2 billion: germs in the average kitchen sponge
  • 25,000: germs per square inch on an office telephone
  • 49: germs per square inch on a toilet seat

Independence Day

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Air Show and the Statue of Liberty

Hudson River, Lower Manhattan
Jones Beach, Long Island, New York

These incredible photos, taken during the Memorial Day Air Show at Jones Beach, Long Island, New York, were sent to me by a friend whose son, an Air Force Pilot, has served multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Fourth of July

More commonly known as the Fourth of July,  Independence Day honors the birthday of the United States and the adoption of the Declaration of Independence with the United States declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.  A common mistake  is the belief that Congress signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, when actually, most delegates signed the Declaration on August 2, 1776.  The original Declaration is on display in the Rotunda of the National Archives Building  in Washington DC along with the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.

The Fourth Of July Is Also A Day Of Soda And Popcorn And Beer

Roll out those lazy, hazy days of summer.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 76 million Americans  said they took part in a barbecue last year —  and it is probably a safe assumption that a whole bunch of them took place on Independence Day.  As the SocialDieter  I would be remiss if I didn’t caution you to be mindful of mindless munching.  Enjoy your burgers — but just be aware that it’s way too easy to almost inhale hundreds of calories without thinking about it.  You get to talking, joking, and playing and forget that those chips have calories — and so do the M&Ms, and the ice cream, and the pie, and the strawberry shortcake — and the beer and soda.  Just be heads up about what you’re eating — and enjoy it!

The Fourth Of July Is A Day For Parades And Patriotism

Independence Day is also marked by parades, fireworks, and many displays of patriotism.  And, as my friend, the mother of the Air Force Pilot says, it’s a chance to thank all who served and who are serving.

Happy Fourth of July

When You Eat A Sandwich Does The Filling End Up In Your Lap?

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Sandwiches, Wraps, Paninis

Whatever you call it, it’s food — usually meat, cheese, or fish, sometimes vegetables — sandwiched in bread holder. Doesn’t matter is the bread is sliced, a wrap, a pita, a bagel, or a roll.  Other stuff is added to make it taste good — and sometimes to make it look pretty.  Sometimes so much stuff if shoved in that toothpicks are necessary to keep it together.  Problem:  what happens when you take the toothpicks out and try to get your lunch into your mouth?  What’s your dry cleaner bill like?

Soggy Is Gross

Soggy sandwiches take a whole lot of the fun out of eating your lunch.  Some things that can decrease the dampness factor:

  • Heavier, grainy, crunchy bread adds texture and substance and usually holds up better than the softer, squeezier Wonder Bread types. Rolls and bagels hold up even better – and you can always take out some of the softer stuff in the middle of the roll that might hold some liquid.
  • Coating the inside of the bread with butter or cream cheese helps to keep the fluid from some of the sandwich ingredients from getting through to the bread.
  • With wraps, layering the inside of the wrap with a very dry lettuce leaf before adding the filling and then tightly rolling the wrap will help to keep the wrap dry and the lettuce intact.  Trying to eat a soggy wrap is a feat unto itself.
  • With plain old bread, putting the slightly wet lettuce toward the middle of the sandwich not just under the bread, will help keep the bread dry.
  • Ditto for tomatoes – they’re added to sandwiches – a lot.  So are pickles.  Both are really wet.  If you salt the tomato, it gets even wetter.  Ever pick up your sandwich and have the tomato squirt right out?  Sandwiching it in the middle of your sandwich filling helps.  Put the tomato or pickle slices in the middle of the sandwich – essentially sandwiched by the meat or bread.  This helps keeping the wet stuff away from the bread and, if done right, can help keep the tomato in your sandwich and not on your lap or splattered on your plate.
  • If you are transporting a sandwich, bring the mayo, pesto, ketchup, mustard, or whatever dressing you use on the side and add it just before eating.  This really helps the soggy factor.

Getting The Sandwich Into Your Mouth Without The Filling Going Splat

This gorgeous (maybe not) and yummy looking sandwich is staring at you waiting to be devoured.  The thing is it’s about 6 inches thick.  How are you going to get it into your mouth?

Good question.  Some suggestions, especially if you are making your own sandwich.

  • As above, put the wetter, thicker stuff in the middle – it helps with the slippage factor. This also goes for onions, peppers, shredded lettuce, and cole slaw.
  • If you are using thick bread or a roll, scoop out some of the doughy stuff in the middle.  It’ll make the sandwich flatter and hold the filling better.
  • Many delis and sandwich take-out places will not lay the sliced meat flat but layer it on in almost a crumpled fashion as it comes off of the slicer.  This adds volume to the sandwich and makes it look like you are getting a whole lot for your money.  This kind of layering is easily squishable because the filling is plumped up with air spaces between the filling slices. Squishing it may get the sandwich down to a size that fits into your mouth.  If you are making your own sandwich and want quantity over presentation, lay your slices flat so the sandwich fits into your mouth more easily.
  • Don’t put so much stuff on.  Balance the amount of meat and cheese or whatever your fillings are.  Too much of one thing makes it taste just like that one thing.  Balance and layer your fillings so that you can taste them all not just the one dominant flavor.

SocialDieter Tip:

Keep lots of napkins on hand.  Try using pitas that haven’t been sliced all of the way around.  Take some of the filling out of rolls.  Cut your sandwich in quarters – somehow it’s easier to eat.  Maybe wear an old tee shirt while you eat your sandwich – and then toss it into the washing machine or just walk around with your lunch on your shirt and not worry about it!

Remembrance and Barbecues

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A Day Of Remembrance

For those of us who live in the states, Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is May 30th.  It’s a day of remembrance for those who died in our nation’s service.  It was first observed on May 30th, 1868 when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.

Remember The Nurses, Too

I’m a nurse and am a proud supporter of my profession.  This photo of military nurses (although not of anyone I know) is in honor of my Aunt Mary and all nurses. Aunt Mary is now 93 and was an army nurse in the second World War. Sent overseas to replace a nurse who had been killed in the line of duty, she served in a mobile medical unit that was right behind the American front lines in Italy.

A Three Day Weekend

In 1971 congress extended Memorial Day into a three day weekend.  One consequence of this is that it made it easier for people to be a little less focused on the spirit and meaning of the day. It did create a weekend that often signifies the unofficial beginning of summer, especially for those of us who live in places with seasonal changes and cold snowy winters.

Parades, Picnics, And Barbecues

Memorial Day is a day of national ceremonies and small town parades, but also of barbecues and picnics. For those of us conscious of what we eat, Memorial Day also signals the start of a whole set of thoughts:  how to avoid the glut of cheeseburgers and hot dogs; the mayonnaise laden potato and macaroni salad; the plates full of brownies and cookies; the dripping ice cream cones (sprinkles are mandatory); the freshly baked blueberry and peach pies; and the beer, wine, mojitos, soda, and sweet tea to wash everything down.

Gotta have a plan

So, as we remember the people who gave service to their country, please think about honoring yourself by choosing what’s best for you.  Holidays and celebrations present special challenges for those of us who have trouble dealing with abundant food that seems to beckon to us any which way we turn.

Some SocialDieter Tips To Help You Do This:

  • Before you grab some tasty morsel, ask yourself if you’re really hungry.  Odds are, with a display of temptations in front of you, you may not be hungry but just want to eat whatever is staring at you for reasons not dictated by your stomach.
  • A good question to ask is:  do I really need to stand in front of the picnic table, kitchen table, or barbecue?  The further away from the food you are the less likely you are to eat it.
  • If you know that the barbecued ribs, the blueberry pie, or your cousin’s potato salad is your downfall, either build it into your food for the day or steer clear.  For most of us swearing that you’ll only take a taste is a promise doomed to fail.
  • If you’re asked to bring something, bring food you can eat with abandon – fruit, salad with dressing on the side, berries and angel food cake for dessert (no fat in angel food cake).  That way you know you always have some “go to” food.
  • Don’t show up starving.  How can you resist when your blood sugar is in the basement and your stomach is singing a chorus?
  • Really eyeball the food choices so you know what’s available.  Then make a calculated decision about what you are going to eat.
  • Take the food you have decided to eat, sit down, enjoy it without guilt, and be done with it.  No going back for seconds.
  • If you’re full, stop eating and clear your plate right away.  If it hangs around in front of you, chances are you’ll keep picking at it.
  • Give yourself permission to have the special dessert or a burger or ribs.  If you don’t,  you’ll probably be miserable and there’s some chance that you’ll get home and gobble down everything in sight – because you made yourself miserable!  Eat it and enjoy it (no seconds).
  • If hanging around the food gets to be too much, go for a walk, a swim, or engage someone in an animated conversation.  Hard to shove food into you mouth when you’re talking away.

Enjoy the weekend.

Handle Food Carefully – Or Run A Big Risk

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How You Handle Food Really Matters

Here’s a great big reason why paying attention to how you handle food is so important:

Just give ‘em  (bacteria) the conditions they like:  warmth, moisture, and nutrients, and boy will they grow.   A single bacterium that divides every half hour can result in 17 million offspring in 12 hours.

Putting food in the refrigerator or freezer will stop most bacteria from growing —  except for Listeria (found in lunch meats, hot dogs, and unpasteurized soft cheese), and Yersinia enterocolitica (found in undercooked pork and unpasteurized milk).  Both will grow at refrigerator temperatures. Cooking food to a temperature of 160 F will kill E. coli O157:H7. Don’t let that container of take out food hang around on the counter, either. Put it in the fridge and heat it up when you’re ready.

Safety Tips

  • Cut produce, like half a watermelon or bagged salad, should be refrigerated or surrounded by ice – don’t buy it if its not
  • Separate your raw meat, poultry, and seafood from the other food in your shopping cart and in your refrigerator – packages do leak
  • Store perishable fresh fruit and vegetables (like berries, lettuce, herbs, and mushrooms) in a clean refrigerator at a temperature of 40F or below
  • Wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and warm water after you prepare any food
  • Wash fruit and vegetables under running water just before eating, cutting, or cooking, even if you plan to peel them. Don’t use soap (it leaves a residue). Produce washes are okay, but not necessary.
  • Scrub firm produce like melons and cucumbers with a clean produce brush and then let air dry.
  • Toss the outer leaves of heads of leafy vegetables like cabbage and lettuce.
  • Thoroughly cook sprouts. Children, elderly people, pregnant women, and people with a weakened immune system should avoid raw sprouts.
  • Drink pasteurized milk, juice, or cider.
  • Lower your pesticide exposure by 90% by avoiding the dirty dozen: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, carrots, and pears. Think about buying organic for the dirty dozen and conventional for the foods with the lowest levels of pesticides:  onions, avocados, sweet corn, pineapple, mango, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, papaya, watermelon, broccoli, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes (Environmental Working Group).
  • Eat locally grown food:  food is well traveled – the average mouthful has a 1400 mile journey from farm to plate. Locally raised food is fresher, closer to ripe when picked, requires less energy to get to you, and is not as likely to be treated with pesticides after harvest.
  • Wash all produce well before eating – be careful with nibbling the unwashed grapes or berries in the market or on the way home.

More information on handling produce safely