The Main Benefit of Keeping Food Off the Floor: Preventing Contamination
                                
                                
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                                    3 min read                                
                            
                                According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), discarded food that falls to the floor or comes into contact with unclean surfaces should not be eaten. The main benefit of keeping food off the floor is to prevent dangerous biological, chemical, and physical contamination that can lead to foodborne illness.