Five-second rule.

You double dipped the chip.

Raw eggs? Haven't you heard of salmonella?

To get to the bottom of other widely believed food rules and find out what's true and what's bogus according to the agency that regulates food safety,

we reached out to Peter Cassell, as spokesperson for the FDA.

To ease your eating worries, here are eight food safety questions you've likely had at one point in your life.

Rule number 1, it's unsafe to drink milk past it's sell-by date even if it's just a day or two.

Not necessarily.

As Cassell explains, drinking milk a day or two after the milk's sell-by date may not be a safety issue but be more of a taste issue.

That said, drinking milk any amount of time past its expiration date does increase the risk of developing food-borne illness from bacteria that might have grown, says Cassell.

But unless you're part of a population that should play it extra safe - elderly people, pregnant women, and young children would fall into that category.

And if your milk is within a few days of its sell-by date, then you're probably good to go.

Just give it a whiff before you drink it.

Rule number 2, you shouldn't drink from a cup of water that has been left sitting out overnight.

Probably false.

Your water might taste a little funny if it's been sitting on your bedside table overnight.

But water from a clean glassis still perfectly fine to drink.

After all, Cassell says water itself has no ingredients that would make it go bad.

However, sipping does transmit microorganisms from your mouth to the cup.

It's a good idea to swap out your dirty glass for a clean one each day.

Rule number 3, white discoloration on a chocolate bar means the chocolate has gone bad.

False.

If you were thinking of throwing out that discolored bar of chocolate you just unwrapped, think again.

A white film on the surface of your chocolate might look alarming but it's most likely just fat bloom.

This occurs when cocoa butter fats separate from cocoa, says Cassell.

Although considered a defect, it's safe to eat.

Rule number 4, butter should be stored in the fridge, not at room temperature in a butter dish.

True.

If your household is in the habit of leaving a butter dish out in room temperature, maybe you should rethink the practice.

According to Cassell, doing so puts butter at risk of increased rates of oxidative rancidity,

which leads to the more rapid development of an unusual or unpleasant flavor.

On the other hand, refrigeration both preserves the shelf life of the butter and reduces the growth rates of spoilage microbes which might be present.

So, refrigerate your butter and if you want warm, spreadable butter try using a serrated warming butter knife.

Rule number 5, fruits and vegetables should be washed before eating.

This is true.

All fresh produce can be contaminated in many ways.

Animals, dangerous substances such as pesticide and workers can all contribute to contamination.

According to one environmental working group analysis, the USDA has found that nearly 70% of conventionally grown produce samples tested positive for pesticide residues.

So, unless your fresh produce and fruit is marked pre-washed or ready to eat,

be sure to give it a good wash before prepping or eating it,

especially if it's one of the Dirty Dozen:

strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, potatoes and hot peppers.

Rule number 6, raw eggs will make you sick.

Since you can't tell from the outer shell or inside of the egg it's contaminated, always refrigerate eggs and cook them until the yolk is firm.

Raw eggs have a chance of being contaminated with harmful bacteria such as salmonella,

but since bacteria are microscopic, you won't be able to just weed the bad eggs out.

The best practice is to refrigerate, handle and cook eggs properly, says Cassell.

Cook eggs until both the yolk and white are firm and cook any egg dishes until they are at an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter.

Rule number 7, you shouldn't double dip.

True.

Double dipping can spread bacteria and is especially sketchy because a person doesn't have to be visably sick or sick at all to pass on germs.

It's best to put dip on your own plate so that you can enjoy it without spreading any germs to others, says Cassell.

If you know that you are ill, it may be a good idea to stay away from communal snacks or foods all together.

Rule number 8, if you bring a homemade salad to work, you should refrigerate it immediately. Keeping it at room temperature could make it go bad by lunch time.

True.

It all comes down to what kinds of ingredients you pack in your salad.

But spoiler alert, they're most likely perishable and should be refrigerated as soon as possible.

Lettuce, dairy-based dressing, cheeses and other produce in your salad should be stored properly at room temperature at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below.

And most proteins such as meat, poultry, eggs and seafood should all be refrigerated within two hours of cooking or purchasing or within one hour if the temperature outside is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, says Cassell.

So, basically, unless you're planning on a 10 a.m. lunch, you should store salad in an insulated lunch bag with a pack of ice or just stick your Tupperware in the office fridge.

So now that you know these rules, you can consume with a little peace of mind.

Enjoy your food.