Ever heard of the five or three second rule, allowing us to eat food that has dropped on the floor if it is picked up within the allotted time? According to Clemson University food scientist Paul Dawson, this is a bunch of baloney.

Earlier research has shown that we may have up to one minute to retrieve certain types of food before it becomes contaminated. But Dawson and his team of scientists have made a strong case for the "zero second rule," stating that salmonella and other bacteria can live on surfaces for up to four weeks and can be immediately transferred to food.

Though some research still agrees, it is all about location and not time. It may be okay to brush off a roll of bread that fell onto the pavement and eat it. Generally, research says that the street is often times cleaner than the kitchen floor in terms of the types of germs that cause illness.