Dear Amy: My in-laws think nothing about putting a spoon they licked back into the coleslaw or potato salad — or double-dipping chips (taking a bite then re-dipping) into salsa or dips. My kids were taught not to do this.
We've mentioned this to them a few times, but they get offended and believe we are insulting them.
What are the health risks? Maybe if we could explain it from a positive viewpoint, they might understand.
— Always Offended
Dear Offended: My instinct was that this wasn't really so harmful (despite the famous "double-dipping" episode of "Seinfeld" that has been burned into our collective memory).
And then I made some calls.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention referred me to the Food and Drug Administration.
The Food and Drug Administration referred me to a 2008 Clemson University study.
The question researchers chose to answer is: "Does double-dipping actually spread bacteria and germs?"
They assembled volunteers and used wheat crackers and dips.
Ultimately, they found that in just a few double-dips, about 10,000 bacteria were transferred from the eater's mouth to the remaining dip.According to the director of the study,
this is the rough equivalent of kissing someone on the mouth. If the person is carrying an infectious disease, it could possibly be transmitted to others.So you have to ask yourselves: Are you on kissing terms with your in-laws?
