Enterogermina invites physicist and Ig Nobel winner to develop a toast that defies Murphy's Law

The brand tries to answer a question: can we follow the 5-second rule to eat food after it falls on the floor?

SÃO PAULO, April 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Enterogermina, the leading brand in the probiotic segment and part of Opella, Sanofi's Consumer Healthcare business unit, has launched a campaign that playfully challenges the laws of physics: The Anti-Murphy's Law Toast. The initiative takes on the well-known Murphy's Law - "if something can go wrong, it will"- and raises a question: is it okay to eat food that has fallen on the floor, even if it's only for five seconds?

To develop this, Enterogermina partnered with physicist Robert Matthews, famous for his study proving that toasts tends to land butter-side down—a concept that earned him the Ig Nobel Prize in 1996. To defy the odds, he worked alongside chef Nuño García, who has won 12 Michelin stars in his career.

With science and experimentation, the team developed a new toast that, according to their tests, lands butter-side up around 75% of the time. This changed everything – before, 63% of toasts fall butter-side down, as shown in Matthews' earlier research. The experiment is a playful way of turning an age-old complaint into an opportunity to explore science and health.

The campaign goes beyond fun facts. It highlights an important message: while the five-second rule is widely believed, not all foods are created equal when it comes to bacterial absorption.¹ Some can become contaminated almost instantly. The intestinal microbiota - home of beneficial microorganisms - plays a crucial role in digestion, immune function, and health. Consuming harmful bacteria can disrupt this balance, causing diarrhea, inflammation or more serious complications.

Created by the agency MRM Spain, the Anti-Murphy's Law Toast campaign includes a  documentary that takes viewers behind the scenes of this unique project. The film explores the scientific research that inspired the idea and features insights from microbiology expert Simon Baines, who discusses the truth behind the five-second rule.

Enterogermina's campaign brings together science, gastronomy, and health awareness in a creative and engaging way—proving that even toasts can challenge the odds. Watch here.

¹ SCHWEITZER, Lisa; SCHAAF, Michael; SCHROEDER, Carla. Transfer of bacteria from surfaces to food: assessment of contact time and surface type. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, v. 82, n. 14, p. 4356-4362, 2016. Available in: https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/aem.01838-16. Access on: 2025 March, 28.

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