Food dropped on the floor can be eaten, provided it is picked up within five seconds.

Ashton University researchers have found evidence backing the 'Five-second rule.' Researchers at the School of Life and Health Sciences said that food picked up within a few seconds from dropping is less likely to contain bacteria.

For the study, the researchers observed the journey of the common bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus from different indoor floor types ( carpet, laminate and tiled surfaces) to numerous food items (toast, pasta, biscuit, ham, dried fruit and a sticky dessert) between 3 and 30 seconds.

They found that time played an important role in bacterial transfer from the floor surface to the food. The type of flooring also had a significant effect on the transfer. For example, bacteria are less likely to get in touch with food on carpets and more likely to make contact on laminated or tiled surfaces, especially if the food is moist and left on the floor for more than 5 seconds.

"Consuming food dropped on the floor still carries an infection risk as it very much depends on which bacteria are present on the floor at the time; however the findings of this study will bring some light relief to those who have been employing the five-second rule for years, despite a general consensus that it is purely a myth," Anthony Hilton, Professor of Microbiology, said in a statement.

They also found that a majority of the people surveyed were actually willing to eat dropped food. About 87 percent participants admitted to eating food fallen on the floor, of which 55 percent were women. Approximately 81 percent of the women who were ready to consume food dropped on the floor followed the 5 second rule.

Several studies have been conducted on the on five- second rule. An informal research by TV's 'Mythbusters' team found that food left on the floor for even a millisecond of time attracts bacteria. The levels of bacterial contamination depend on the food's moisture, surface geometry and floor condition regardless of the time, Discovery reports.