Any Seinfeld fan probably remembers that line, when “Timmy” accused George Costanza of double dipping. “Timmy” complained, “that’s like putting your whole mouth right in the dip.” Now a new study conducted by Clemson University has measured just how much bacteria double dipping can actually transfer into the dip bowl. The answer – a lot.
According to the NY Times:
“A team of nine students instructed volunteers to take a bite of a wheat cracker and dip the cracker for three seconds into about a tablespoon of a test dip. They then repeated the process with new crackers, for a total of either three or six double dips per dip sample. The team then analyzed the remaining dip and counted the number of aerobic bacteria in it.”
Despite George’s dismissal of the idea that double dipping could transfer bacteria, the results of the study show otherwise:
“On average, the students found that three to six double dips transferred about 10,000 bacteria from the eater’s mouth to the remaining dip. Each cracker picked up between one and two grams of dip. That means that sporadic double dipping in a cup of dip would transfer at least 50 to 100 bacteria from one mouth to another with every bite.”
Something to consider before you double dip that chip at this weekend’s Super Bowl party.
44 responses so far ↓
1 WWB // Jan 30, 2008 at 3:53 pm
But what if I dip a different side of the chip? Will the bacteria travel quickly enough to the other side of the chip to contaminate the dip? Clearly, more research in this area is needed.
2 shatraw // Jan 30, 2008 at 4:07 pm
also, how does this compare to the bacteria transfered when slapping high five over brady’s broken leg or drinking someone else’s beer by mistake?
3 Double Dipper // Jan 30, 2008 at 4:08 pm
i’ve been accused of double dipping on more than three occasions – perhaps i have been guilty. but i will never again. I apologize to those who have ever dipped after my double.
4 Ruca Bangs // Jan 30, 2008 at 4:46 pm
The more afraid of/cautious about germs you are, the less immunities/weaker you become. Bacteria pretty much coats every single thing a million times over. Embrace your fear and dip away!
5 Drew Curtis' FARK.com // Jan 30, 2008 at 7:14 pm
6 DCBlogs // Jan 30, 2008 at 7:14 pm
7 dm // Jan 30, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Do you have any idea how few bacteria that is? Considering there are a few trillion in our gut! and about a billion in a single yogurt container.
8 Travis // Jan 30, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Yeah. So, I’m not relly worried about 10 bacteria per bite unless it’s a HUGE bowl being shared by LOTS of double dippers. Silly.
9 Where’s the Superbowl party this year, friends? | YAHTZEE POSSE // Jan 30, 2008 at 7:20 pm
[...] the best beers for the Superbowl, and scientific proof that double dipping — which is at its height on Superbowl Sunday — is actually a germ-transfering [...]
10 Lulz4Food // Jan 30, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I say cut out the middle man. Don’t double dip, just sit your face in the bowl. If you are going to spread bacteria then do it in a big way to be proud.
11 big dippah // Jan 30, 2008 at 7:25 pm
“if it’s gonna be that kind of party then i’m gonna stick my d!ck in the mash potatoes”
12 James // Jan 30, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Yeah, and how about we ID that bacteria! For all we know it’s GOOD for us!
13 Darthballs // Jan 30, 2008 at 7:28 pm
I see, I see. Yes. But, what if the persons double-dipping the chips were Moops? Are Moops more or less bacteria transmittent than the persons used in this study? And what happens if, instead of chips, the dipped article was replaced with a marble rye? A thorough scientific study would include these questions and more.
14 tatum // Jan 30, 2008 at 7:30 pm
That’s it…no more double dipping with bisexual Haitian junkie whores. Especially the ones with weeping lesions around the mouth and/or on the tongue. And they better start washing their goddamn hands after using the squat toilet we cut in the kitchen floor.
15 etyer // Jan 30, 2008 at 7:30 pm
What of the viscosity of said dip? Wouldn’t a very thick dip prevent the spread of the bacteria to the rest of the dip in the bowl at a slower rate and keep it relatively close to the dipping location?
16 Casey // Jan 30, 2008 at 7:33 pm
I died from double dipping.
Fish Tanks cause bacteria too, I think it’s a huge problem really. We need to stop double dippers and aquarium owners, bacteria is always so detrimental and dangerous!
17 Eick // Jan 30, 2008 at 7:35 pm
etyer -
Great point. If you click over to the full NY Times article, they note that the study did take into account the viscosity of the dip.
18 StumbleUpon - Your page is now on StumbleUpon! // Jan 30, 2008 at 7:56 pm
19 Mudguts // Jan 30, 2008 at 7:56 pm
“Something to consider before you double dip that chip at this weekend’s Super Bowl party.”
No, it’s something you consider before dipping in the first place. Jeez.
20 Cyde Weys // Jan 30, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Of course, this write-up completely fails to mention what type of bacteria those are, or whether 50-100 bacteria is actually a lot. It probably isn’t. Considering we have trillions of bacteria living within each of us (way more than the number of human cells that we have), and that the vast, vast majority of bacteria are completely harmless (despite what Lysol would like you to believe), is this really that big a deal?
Far more bacteria are going to be transferred from mouth to mouth from a simple kiss than any amount of double-dipping.
21 "Did you just double-dip that chip?" - snopes.com // Jan 30, 2008 at 8:15 pm
22 FARK.com: (3365798) You Double Dipped the Chip??? New Clemson study analyzes the levels of bacteria caused by double dipping // Jan 30, 2008 at 8:26 pm
23 Jim // Jan 30, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Maybe their next study can be to count the number of bacteria transfered during ass to mouth sex.
24 Costanza surrenders // Jan 30, 2008 at 8:47 pm
25 shatraw // Jan 30, 2008 at 9:31 pm
hey Cyde Weys, nice work reiterating like 20 peoples’ varying points.
also, eick, you got farked. nice work.
26 Mike // Jan 30, 2008 at 9:54 pm
3 Danged seconds per dip? Who in God’s name dips a chip for 3 seconds? In and out! No bacteria transfer! I think the 3 seconds was an afterthough. seeing as they more than likely proved that a simple “swipe dip” transfers next to no bacteria. Pfft. No more to see here folks. Move along.
27 Double Dip A Chip This Weekend...Think Again - Sportsbetting Forums | Offshore Sportsbooks & Online Sports Picks // Jan 30, 2008 at 10:38 pm
28 BloggingZoom “Did You Just Double Dip That Chip?” | So Good // Jan 30, 2008 at 10:48 pm
29 Olive the Other Reindeer // Jan 30, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Even though they didn’t name the type of bacteria that was transferred to the dip, the point is that if someone is sick or has cold or flu germs, it can contaminate the dip. Do you want to catch someone else’s cold or bug because they were “double-dipping”? Besides, I am particular about who I want to swap saliva with. There are some people that I don’t want to touch, never mind ingest their saliva germs. I’ve worked banquet events and had to go back to the kitchen to change the dipping sauce because someone that was sick decided to “double-dip”. Please have some consideration and think how you would feel if you got sick from someone who did that.
30 John // Jan 31, 2008 at 1:12 am
But if I double dip, it effectively makes the dip all mine. Win for me.
31 Beast // Jan 31, 2008 at 3:36 am
Who dips a chip for an entire three seconds? Seriously, try it next time! It seems an unnecessary eternity for chip-dipping.
32 Ruca Bangs // Jan 31, 2008 at 11:02 am
If you only eat yogurt you will shit pure culture.
33 chubsoda // Jan 31, 2008 at 12:07 pm
So does this mean I cannot double-dip my penis into a woman after my buddy does her too? These are the questions I need anwers to.
34 Belch.Com » Post Topic » Double Dip Your Chips for the SuperBowl Party // Jan 31, 2008 at 12:09 pm
[...] Times story is here. SoGoodBlog has this to say about it: “On average, the students found that three to six double dips [...]
35 Daring Double Dipper « PLAYGIRL Magazine // Jan 31, 2008 at 1:06 pm
[...] merry way without a care in the world. But are my conscience woes justified? Was Costanza so wrong? Apparently, yes…at least 50 to 100 bacteria from one mouth to another with every bite is trans… Filed under: Uncategorized [...]
36 Bruisin' Ales Beer Blog // Jan 31, 2008 at 3:42 pm
[...] Speaking of the SuperBowl, Clemson University says don’t double dip! [SoGoodBlog.com] [...]
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42 Nicole // Jul 17, 2008 at 2:01 am
There is a difference between good bacteria and bad bacteria. I’ll only share with someone I’m close to like my best friends or family. But if they are sick… then NO WAY!
43 mingpagoda: Double dipping - only ok when you've already shared the germs in other ways... // Sep 24, 2008 at 9:44 am
44 Search: Super bowl party chip dip - Verizon Online // Jan 27, 2009 at 9:52 am
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