Is there any truth to the "5 second rule" about dropping food on the floor?

If you’ve ever had your doubts about the “five-second rule,” a study (Rutgers) didn’t come as much of a surprise. It showed that food dropped on the floor can get pretty germy even if you scoop it up within the proverbial five seconds.

… Researchers dropped four foods (watermelon, gummy candy, bread and buttered bread) onto four different surfaces (steel, ceramic tile, wood and carpet) that had been contaminated with a harmless relative of disease-causing Salmonella bacteria. The food was allowed to remain in contact with the surfaces for one, five, 30 or 300 seconds before being removed and tested to see if it had become contaminated with the germs.

… Steel and tile surfaces tended to transfer more bacteria, while transfer rates from wood were more variable. Watermelon showed the greatest contamination, gummy candy the least.

… Back in 2012 San Diego State University researchers determining bacteria can attach itself to food in less than five seconds.

… And in 2010 scientists at Clemson also found that bacteria was transferred from tabletops and floors to food within five seconds.