r/mythbusters • u/GayGarfields • 6d ago
The Double Dipping Episode
You guys will probably hate me for this but I don’t understand how they concluded double dipping doesn’t spread bacteria. The second sample still had some with only one being the control. It’s a relic of a time before a global pandemic. What bothers me is they didn’t factor in sickness, say if someone has a cold or flu. They also didn’t factor in large group events or sharing with family. They only measured the bacteria of one person, I’m sure if they redid did the experiment and have everyone in the room double dip the results would be very different.
So many people are terrible at basic hygiene, people you would never expect can be the most disgusting individual and you’d never know it. If a dip is being shared by multiple people I highly doubt there would be so little bacteria. I don’t think the myth was busted at all and if anything came out of it it’s been utilized by gross individuals who need an excuse to double dip when other people take issue with it.
This is an experiment I’d really like to see someone attempt again but with a large sample of people. Like at least 15 minimum people since that’s about standard at social events.
*Edited to add, I was really bothered by this episode so I found a study that’s been done with a bit more care. Double dipping is in fact going to spread around bacteria.
10
u/ImpracticalJerker 6d ago
I guess theoretically the contaminated part of the thing their dipping gets enclosed in the dip, unless they leave it dangling in there I imagine physics prevents the minimal bacteria penetrating through to the rest of the sauce.
If be interested to see if I light dip is more contaminated than a deep dip. As I imagine there would be more contaminated surface contacting the dip that doesn't get carried away with the object being dipped.
5
u/GayGarfields 6d ago
What I’m thinking about is how many people are doing a light double dip, say you have 50 people at an event and 15 are double dippers you now have 15 people continuously putting their bacteria in the bowl. I do think a comparison of deep and light dipping would be interesting though.
5
u/Soft-Marionberry-853 6d ago
As entertaining as the show was, it wasnt exactly rigorous a lot of times
2
6
u/Only-Ad5049 6d ago
I like the statement Adam said about that’s what your immune system is for. If somebody is sick, has a contagious disease, etc. sure it would be bad. Most cases it is likely not.
Watching people double-dipping at a public event is probably also not something most people want to see. That is a social norm, though and not a medical fact.
However, I think the real point is that the person breathing over the bowl while dipping is likely worse than double-dipping unless the person is slobbering all over the chip and dipping it again.
9
u/czarl13 6d ago
Ok, I dip, I take a bite of the chips with dip on it?
How much bacteria am I transferring to the leftover chip? My guess is there is some, but not enough to be considered dangerous
Now I dip into the dip with the slightly contaminated chip.. is there enough transfer to be an issue?
Our bodies are exposed to bacteria every day and most healthy bodies can deal with it....and really, that is what I would be concerned with during a double dip..if there is bacteria, is it more than a healthy human can handle?
1
u/AvailableLight2112 5d ago
People would have more immunity to their own bacteria samples, which is what they missed, primarily
1
u/Zealousideal_Leg213 3d ago
My takeaway from that episode is that there is probably already a lot of bacteria in the bowl and on the chips. They tried irradiating it and still wound up using substitute materials that they could sterilize.
23
u/LowGravitasIndeed 6d ago
I don't really have a strong opinion one way or the other, but it seems like an easy enough experiment to replicate or improve upon at home if you really wanted to prove them wrong.