The widely-held “five-second rule” – the belief that food dropped on the floor is safe to eat if retrieved within five seconds – has been debunked by scientific findings. According to research, bacteria transfer to food immediately upon contact with a surface, rendering the time limit irrelevant. The notion that a quick pickup minimizes contamination is a myth. This means that regardless of how quickly food is retrieved from the floor, it is already contaminated with bacteria. The study indicates that the type of surface and the moisture of the food play significant roles in bacterial transfer rates. Consumers should therefore discard food that has fallen on the floor to mitigate potential health risks, regardless of location – whether in a kitchen in Athens or a dining room in Thessaloniki.