THEM'S THE RULES - The Five-Second Rule: Germs of Endearment

The Five-Second Rule: Germs of Endearment

05/09/21 • 26 min

The “five-second rule” of food hygiene states that any food dropped on the floor is still safe to eat, provided that it is picked up within five seconds. Maybe you’re thinking that this common piece of playground wisdom is just a silly line of inquiry, but food safety is a major health burden in the United States. And this is a rule that people actually follow so, from a public health standpoint, it is important to know whether or not it holds any truth! In today’s episode, dedicated to all her fellow germaphobes out there, Bronwen looks at what the science has to say on the matter, whether the length of time, the wetness of the foodstuff dropped, and the nature of the floor surface influence the outcome, and contemplates what this rule says about our human nature. Tune in for a slightly icky but thoroughly illuminating investigation into the five-second rule and find out why you should definitely think twice before eating off the floor!

Key Points From This Episode:

Hear the statistics about food-borne illness in the US, according the the CDC.
The difference between harmful bacteria and good bacteria
Some fast, fun, and freaky facts about bacteria, including how much bacteria is on your desk.
The relationship between saying “five-second rule” out loud and its effectiveness.
The origins of the rule, which trace back to Genghis Khan in the 14th century.
How the much-loved Julia Child perpetuated the idea that food that looks okay is okay to eat.
What science has to say about the five-second rule, according to a U. of Illinois study.
A study by Clemson University that concluded that length of time does, in fact, matter.
The Connecticut College finding that the five-second rule was more like the 30-second rule.
How a Rutgers University study debunked the five-second rule, also highlighting the relevance of the structure of the floor surface.
What influences the microbiological composition of your floors
What food psychologist, Thomas Shipley, has to say about your ability to assess food risk.
Find out why it’s known as the five-second rule, not the seven or 15-second rule.
Discover why beer pong is so disgusting, thanks to the authors of Did You Just Eat That?
Why the five-second rule isn’t bound by the constraints of practicality or public interest.
What it has to say about human desire and the reckless pursuit of something forbidden.
Examining the five-second rule through the lens of the law of scarcity and human psychology.

LINKS

‘If You Drop It, Should You Eat It? Scientists Weigh In on the 5-Second Rule’

‘Residence time and food contact time effects on transfer of Salmonella Typhimurium from tile, wood and carpet: testing the five-second rule’

‘Longer Contact Times Increase Cross-Contamination of Enterobacter aerogenes from Surfaces to Food’

Did You Just Eat That?

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Key Points From This Episode:

Hear the statistics about food-borne illness in the US, according the the CDC.
The difference between harmful bacteria and good bacteria
Some fast, fun, and freaky facts about bacteria, including how much bacteria is on your desk.
The relationship between saying “five-second rule” out loud and its effectiveness.
The origins of the rule, which trace back to Genghis Khan in the 14th century.
How the much-loved Julia Child perpetuated the idea that food that looks okay is okay to eat.
What science has to say about the five-second rule, according to a U. of Illinois study.
A study by Clemson University that concluded that length of time does, in fact, matter.
The Connecticut College finding that the five-second rule was more like the 30-second rule.
How a Rutgers University study debunked the five-second rule, also highlighting the relevance of the structure of the floor surface.
What influences the microbiological composition of your floors
What food psychologist, Thomas Shipley, has to say about your ability to assess food risk.
Find out why it’s known as the five-second rule, not the seven or 15-second rule.
Discover why beer pong is so disgusting, thanks to the authors of Did You Just Eat That?
Why the five-second rule isn’t bound by the constraints of practicality or public interest.
What it has to say about human desire and the reckless pursuit of something forbidden.
Examining the five-second rule through the lens of the law of scarcity and human psychology.

LINKS

‘If You Drop It, Should You Eat It? Scientists Weigh In on the 5-Second Rule’

‘Residence time and food contact time effects on transfer of Salmonella Typhimurium from tile, wood and carpet: testing the five-second rule’

‘Longer Contact Times Increase Cross-Contamination of Enterobacter aerogenes from Surfaces to Food’

Did You Just Eat That?

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Previous Episode

Therapy: When I Get That Feeling, I Want Ethical Healing

As open conversations around the topic of mental health become less stigmatized, it is also important to hear therapists’ points of view. In today’s episode, Madeline, Bronwen’s close friend who happens to be a therapist-in-training, joins us to talk about ethics and therapy. We hear about how Madeline’s own experience being in a treatment facility for an eating disorder inspired her to become a therapist. We then get into some of the ethics in the space, like having dual relationships, confidentiality, and boundaries. While some of these areas, like confidentiality, have more concrete rules than others, there are still so many gray areas that can be subjectively interpreted. Madeline talks about the value of having an experienced supervisor and mentors to help you navigate these ethical conundrums. Our conversation also covers topics like boundaries, physical touch, along with guidelines on what to do if you are starting therapy. This was a great conversation that only scratched the surface of this fascinating topic, so tune in to hear it all!

Key Points From This Episode:

Elements of Madeline’s treatment experience which led her to become a therapist herself.
Madeline's experience giving online therapy, and the challenges, particularly with eating disorders.
The fear that many therapists feel around the myriad of rules and ethics in the field.
What a dual relationship is and why it is a big no-no in therapy.
How therapists, who are in rural areas with high chances of dual relationships, can deal with this issue.
Some of the things that therapists are not supposed to do.
While confidentiality is central to therapy, there are some instances when it has to be broken.
The importance of having a supervisor or mentor to navigate the ethical challenges.
A look at the Tarasoff Case and the implications of this ruling.
What boundaries mean in the context of therapy.
Sometimes, the relationship with the therapist, rather than the intervention, is what sparks change.
It is important to understand that all clients are different and have different needs.
The rules around physical touch in therapeutic relationships and the importance of consent.
Touch can be healing for people with trauma.
Physical touch is also very culturally specific and related to the context.
Pointers around what you should and should not do when you go to a therapist.
The different levels of ethics in therapy and how they apply to clients not being able to pay.
Differentiating between abandonment and termination.

LINKS

The Body Keeps Score

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Next Episode

Life in the US Army: Re-load and Re-tire

Coming at you from the forward operating base that is her home office, Bronwen is joined today by the highly decorated Major General Allen Harrell. Now retired, he is an experienced commander, officer of intelligence, skilled infantryman, field artillerist, disposer of explosive ordinances, trained parachutist, and US Army Ranger School alum or, as Bronwen knows him best, her Uncle Allen. In the US Army, following the rules can be a matter of life and death, though some may strike the average civilian as downright arbitrary. The rules and regulations that soldiers follow are laid out in more than 100,000 Army documents that include everything from how to organize a pickup game of basketball to how to stay alive. Join us for a surface-scratching chat on a few rules of military life, including why soldiers should never walk on the grass, the origins of the buzz cut, and who the Jody is in what is known as a “Jody call,” as well as the requirement to follow orders cheerfully, why Allen ate rather than drank his coffee rations at Ranger School, and whether or not there is such a thing a silent Velcro. Tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

Find out what the term “self-licking ice cream cone” means.
An introduction to Allen Harrell and his career trajectory in the military.
Allen explains the significance of the salute; rendering mutual respect between soldiers.
Why soldiers shouldn’t walk while talking on a cellphone and never walk on the grass.
Some unique punishments doled out by superior officers for small infractions.
Hear about some of the ways that Allen has pranked rookie officers.
The origins of the buzz cut and other military appearance regulations.
Why the Army is so strict with uniformity in what outwardly appear to be minor details.
How this uniformity has carried over into Allen’s daily life now that he is retired.
Learn what a “Jody call” is and what the character of Jody represents.
Discover the different types of bugle calls on an Army base.
Behaving in a manner unbecoming of “an officer and a gentlemen” according to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Allen explains why the soldier’s handbook necessitates following orders “cheerfully.”
Why Allen ate his coffee rations while he was at the US Army Ranger School.
Hear about the first time he jumped out of a helicopter.
Rule number one in the 28 Rules of Ranging: don’t forget nothing!
Where the element of surprise fits into MOOSEMUSS, a military acronym for the nine principles of war.
Allen responds to some fascinating trivia, including whether or not silent Velcro exists.
Why a chihuahua will not follow Allen’s orders.

**Major General (Retired) Allen Harrell is a retired member of the U.S. Army. The contents of the podcast are based on his own personal experiences and the views expressed are not intended to reflect the official position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Army."

LINKS

Allen Harrell on LinkedIn

US Army Rangers

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