Can We Eat Food That Has Fallen To The Ground?

It is quite common to eat food that has fallen on the floor after lightly cleaning or blowing it. Now, is this safe or are we putting our health at risk?

At some point, most people had this doubt. Therefore, next we will analyze why you should not ingest any product that has come into contact with the ground.

There are micro-organisms present in the soil

Although we cannot see them, there are millions of living micro-organisms that inhabit the soil. Some are pathogenic to humans, while others are harmless. However, the food that has fallen to the ground becomes impregnated with these living organisms.

For this reason, a perfect environment is created for these pathogens to colonize the surface of the food. In case of ingestion of the product, we will be introducing into the body a great amount of harmful elements that can cause infections.

An example of this type of bacteria is Escherichia coli , present in some types of contaminated meat and in the intestine. Certain strains of this genus can trigger serious gastrointestinal pathologies, as detailed in an article published by the Brazilian Society of Microbiology I.

Washing them with water is not enough

Before consuming it, it is common to wash the food that has fallen on the floor with water. However, clean water is not capable of destroying the possible pathogenic microorganisms that colonized its surface.

Therefore, cleaning it this way is not an effective solution when it comes to reducing the danger of existing bacteria. It’s true that water can slightly reduce mold and yeast populations. However, the rest of the microorganisms would not be affected, according to a study published in 2018.

The correct thing is to discard the food that has fallen on the floor

If the food that has fallen to the floor is not subjected to a high-temperature cooking process, the best option is to discard it. If it is a fruit or vegetable with a peel, just peel the product well, making sure that there are no traces of the most superficial part.

In any case, it is advisable to throw away food that has fallen on the floor, especially when we do not know if the floor has been properly sanitized. It is not the same thing as a product falling on the floor in our own home, where we can guarantee its hygiene, and on the street.

The importance of food hygiene

We often do not give this topic the importance it deserves, but maintaining good food hygiene habits is essential to prevent the onset of diseases. Simple practices, such as not interrupting the cold chain or cooking food completely, prevent bacterial growth.

Otherwise, we will be exposed to contamination that can lead to gastrointestinal problems or more serious pathologies. It is also recommended not to mix raw and cooked foods and to use clean utensils to handle different foods.

Good storage and packaging practices are essential to limit bacterial growth. It is important to highlight that, every year, deaths occur in developed countries due to ingestion of contaminated food. The number of deaths from this reason is even higher in developing countries.

Fortunately, in a large number of countries there is access to safe drinking water, which reduces the risk of contamination. Despite this, we are often exposed to questionable food hygiene practices that can lead to the appearance of poisoning.

It is better not to eat food that has fallen to the ground

Unless it is a food that has fallen on the clean floor of your own home, or is going to undergo a complete cooking process, it is advisable to discard the food that comes in contact with the floor. In this way, we will not put our health at risk by ingesting harmful micro-organisms to the body.

On the other hand, we must remember the importance of maintaining correct food hygiene practices to ensure good health. Lack of these habits can lead to poisoning, causing serious problems in some cases.