The Five Second Rule
Many of those who are in the food preparation business including, of course, housekeepers, cooks and nannies, still hold to the five second rule.
For those who are not acquainted with this concept, it is commonly held that if food falls to the floor, and is retrieved in less than five seconds, it is safe to eat and has not had time to pick up bacteria.
Unfortunately, this is a BIG NO, NO!
It doesn’t matter if the floor has just been cleaned, vacuumed, or swept according to a UK scientist – the second it drops, it is already too late.
Food safety expert Dr. Lisa Ackerley of the University of Salford says that bacteria sticks to foods instantly.
Furthermore, she says if food has touched a dirty floor (and they are generally dirty) it must be instantly thrown into the bin. Some of the bacteria food can pick up in those few instants include: E Coli and Salmonella, commonly called the Silent Killers.
Is there any way of making the floor really clean? Well, Dr. Ackerley says that bacteria and viruses and are easily destroyed through high temperatures, meaning steam cleaning is a solution.
Her advice on cleaning in hygiene terms is that regular small bursts of hygienic cleaning are more important than one big spring clean.
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