> In my mind, it was contaminated and a great risk to eat.

So, I'm interested in how you arrived at this thought. It certainly can't have been learned behaviour due to cause and effect - I don't think there are any recorded instances of food touching a dining table, being eaten, and the eater becoming ill afterwards, let alone that this happened to you (although, it may have, which would be interesting) so was it taught to you, or just over-cautious extrapolation?

Personally, I'm a great believer in floor food, and it hasn't ever worried me or caused health problems ;)