Think the “five second rule” is safe for dropped food? Think again…

Unless you have the willpower of a saint, you'll know it's almost impossible to say goodbye to a delicious piece of chocolate/toast/cake, even if it's just fallen on the floor.

We've always lived by the "five second rule" for dropped food – if it spends five or less seconds on the floor, you've got the all-clear to pick the food up, look around shiftily to make sure nobody saw, and stuff it in your mouth.

Not the most scientifically based approach, but it's always worked for us.

Now though, health experts have dubbed the rule a "myth," saying it's no safer to eat food that's spent five seconds on the floor than food that's spent an hour there.

"We definitely do not recommend it," food safety expert Rachelle Williams told the Daily Mail.

However, she did concede that some foods are safer than others when it comes to eating something that's been dropped on the floor. "It all comes down to bacteria," Rachelle said. 

"Bacteria relies on moisture to grow, so any food wet food is considering potentially hazardous. It's much easier for bacteria to grow on those foods. With dry foods, it is conversely much tougher for bacteria to grow."

So while you might be okay to grab a fallen crisp off the kitchen floor, the five second rule should definitely not be applied to "wet" foods like cut fruit, cold meats, ham, salami, dairy products, and cooked rice or pasta.

That's us told…