The Science Behind Double Dipping

If we were stranded on a deserted island and could only watch one TV show (because all deserted islands have televisions) it would have to be Mythbusters. They make the science nerd come out in us full force — especially in this recent episode where the science behind double dipping is finally tested once and for all.

One of the most remembered TV moments is the above clip where Seinfeld's, George Costanza *gasp* double dips his chip. Even if you've seen it before, hit play and take a quick refresher, because it's still just as shocking and funny as it was ~~the first hundred times we saw it on YouTube~~ the first time it aired on TV.

The Mythbusters team went all out on a recent episode and put the great double dip debate to rest with a side of science. Sure they did a few straight forward double dipping tests, but then they really put the phrase, "It's like putting the whole bowl in your mouth," to the test by swishing "test salsa" around in their mouths and then mixing it back into the dip for testing.

If you skip ahead in the video above to minute 4:17, you can see first hand the results in their experiment. The long and the short of it is as follows: The actual salsa itself contained far more bacteria than their mouth, but unless your gargling with the salsa and spitting it back in the bowl (which if that's the case, chances are you're not invited to many social situations to begin with), you're safe from contaminating others with your germs when it comes to double dipping.

The question is, will the social faux pas disappear now that it has been disproven?

(Image: Mythbusters & NBC)

Comments (32)

Very cool! But no, it won't go away. You'll still gross people out if you try to double dip.

Nothing will change for us. We double- and triple- dip when it's a gathering of family or close friends (always have, always will), and try to restrain ourselves in groups that we suspect might be more paranoid.

Eh, I watched the show once, and while the science is interesting, the hosts just grated me. Doesn't anyone else just want to smack the pompous beret and glasses right off their heads?

The problem really isn't the bacteria but instead viral infections and they didn't test for that, I wouldn't want a little kid to dip after someone with herpes double dipped. Sure its not going to kill you but really, keep your germs to yourself.

@ akay- Totally. More than anything, though, I just hate the awful, overblown TV-ness of it and the obnoxious announcer and terrible camerawork and stupid hype and ugh television.

The show Food Detectives also covered this last year, with similar results: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food-detectives/double-dippers/index.html
(it's not loading for me, but maybe it will for you.)

As for the Food Detectives show, the first season was more scientific--and just as entertaining--as Mythbusters. Fewer explosions, though.

we are confirmed mythbusters fans in our house. and we double-dip.

Double-dipping is still not okay.

What if partially chewed stuff from someone's mouth gets on the chip on the first bite, and is then transfered into the bowl on the second dip?

What if you're eating with smokers, and you get a little somethin' somethin' from their grungy smoker mouth?

Basically, if you wouldn't give the people you're eating with some deep, exploratory kisses, you probably don't want to eat the double-dipped dip.

Unapologetic double-dipper here! In my own home...

@ heather77, you seem to have quite an active imagination.

I doubble dip for sure, I don't know about you guys but I don't slobber all over my chips before i dip them, you are probably getting way more germs from the comunity chip bowl that everyones dirty hands have been rooting around in. just sayin.

@kchoun8: I am definitely more concerned about all those hands than any double dippers, especially since not everyone washes their hands after sneezing, coughing, or using the bathroom.

That's where the chip tongs come in handy. And frequent handwashing.

(1) I enjoy Mythbusters but I wouldn't say that their results "prove" anything. Maybe "suggest"... never "prove."

(2) I love to double-dip and I really think that appetizer plates are the best solution for this social issue.

I try not to double dip in front of others, as a courtesy; but I really could not care less if anyone else does.

Unless, of course, they're hacking, coughing, obviously sick, in which case I wouldn't be sharing food with them.

hahah this comment thread makes me want to (1) watch television (2) double dip (3) give someone deep, exploratory kisses. live it up!

CHIP TONGS?!?!?!

You have GOT to be kidding.

I don't actually use chip tongs. But I do wash my hands frequently. And I don't double dip ;-)

Grotty!

I'm with you on the desert island, though ;)

I admit it! I double dip.

LOVE Jamie and Adam, and their youngster sidekicks, Kari, Grant and Tori. You can tell they love their jobs, and they get to have fun.

I wish I *hearted* my job that much!

This episode was awesome. SLIGHT crush on Grant. Just sayin'.

Sneaky personal rule: If you use the other end of the chip or veggie stick, it's not really double-dipping.

My family's solution to the germ-ridden chip issue: eat what you touch, no rooting around in the bowl.

@natomaton-- that's my sneaky personal rule, too!

But, really, I don't care about double-dipping. I just don't do it if others will be freaked out.

We're too freakin' germ phobic in the US nowadays. When I was in Japan everyone visiting a temple drank from the same water ladle. No biggie. Even when I went to church here as a kid we all drank from the same communion cup (do they still do that?). No one died.

My friend's baby (18 months) LOVES to dip.

And then suck the dip/sauce/guac off the chip/veggie/whatever and then put it back on the platter.

Somehow, repulsively, we are all ok with this. And I have seen almost all of our adult friends "finish off" her partially used chips.

Super gross. Imagine if an adult did this?

Hopefully, the lovely tot has a "Don't Touch Baby" sign firmly attached.

Love mythbusters - they also tested the "5-second rule" a while back which was also awesome!

I don't mind double-dippers, especially when I am with close friends and/or family. I think when it comes to exposure to germs, people fixate on stuff like double dipping but then eat with their hands after coming off the subway or from work with tons of other people.

I was at the farmers' market yesterday and a mom was letting her visibly sick (with a runny nose) toddler play in the bin of chestnuts. I know they will probably be cooked before anyone eats them, but that just goes to show that you never know what you're being exposed to.

Most germs aren't going to kill you, but wash your hands!

@geekgirl The Japanese are just as freaked about germs. They go around wearing surgical masks during cold and flu seasons and the swine flu uproar has them putting antibacterial hand soap all over the place. The ladles people drink from at temples aren't supposed to touch their lips as the water is part of a purification ritual at the shrines, not for thirst. I would wager anything that we won't be seeing people at temples sharing ladles this year.

People do worry too much about germs these days, but that's no reason for others to act in an unsanitary fashion.

Mythbusters lost me on their Hindenberg episode several years back. Really, they just like to blow things up. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but what they are doing is not controlled experimentation.

That said, I'm with Orchid64. If you are going to worry about something like double dipping, you should never touch anything in a public place without disinfecting your hands before eating. And exactly how do you get out of the bathroom after washing your hands?

We just do like our salsa and guacamole loving cousins in Mexico and put out each bowl of dip with a small spoon for putting stuff on your chip or cracker.

Then nobody dips at all, not even once.

I always try to make sure that what I put out at parties to dip is small enough to get in your mouth in one go - then double-dipping isn't an issue - just chop your crudites smaller! - its those big triangular tortilla chips that cause the problems!!

I'm really not that fussy about "hygiene issues" such as double dipping etc (although I do object to grubby little children grabbing handfuls of food I've put out before dropping half of it - that's more a question of the parents not respecting the effort I've put in to make things nice for everyone though). And I have one of the best immune systems of anyone I know - me getting sick is practically unheard of.

So I figure everyone should lighten up, share a few mild germs here and there, build your immune systems, and those of your kids. And I'll remain convinced that the rise in allergies and etc is due to people being too paranoid about childhood exposure - I ate worms when I was little, the only food allergy I ever had was to the artificial, and I believe now banned, food colouring tartrazine.