A recent study by Clemson University in South Carolina will make you think twice before plunging that half eaten cracker back into the hummus bowl. Double dipping, or the practice of plummeting a half eaten chip back into the communal dip bowl, has been a cause of concern since the beginning of time. With birthdays, holiday parties and homemade goodies poppin' up in offices worldwide, the workplace is no stranger to this delicious yet dirty practice.
Not concerned about double dipping? If you're the lucky luncher to visit the dip bowl after a double dip offense, consider this: 3-6 double dips can leave behind as many as 10 000 bacteria. Microbiologist Paul Dawson, study rep, says that engaging in double dipping is on par with a highschool make-out session, in germ terms, that is. With so much bacteria moving from mouth to chip to bowl, be sure to ask yourself if you’d be willing to smooch your fellow dippers before diving in.
Cooties Preferable to Dippers Doom?
Even if swappin’ spit with your colleagues doesn’t faze you, consider what your man-handling office mates can leave on the communal box o’ donuts. While the mouth houses around 600 or 700 species of bacteria, experts confirm that there’s a far better chance of spreading infectious disease through the hands than through your pie hole.
Those who delight in dipping remember: the study's dipping instrument of choice was the cracker, and the jury’s still out on the risks associated with dipping nachos, chips or veggies. If your single-dipping coworkers don't buy that, consider these alternatives:
- Choose small chips so that a single dip will be sufficient
- Search for “wish chips” to save dip reserves inside the chip fold for subsequent bites
- Get your own dip bowl and ignore sneers of disgust from judging coworkers
Seeing that a session of double dips carries the same bacterial count as a computer mouse, it may be better to smooch your colleague than to shake their hand. And if team building at the company retreat leads to both make outs and double dips, then a case of the corporate cooties is inevitable.
Not concerned about double dipping? If you're the lucky luncher to visit the dip bowl after a double dip offense, consider this: 3-6 double dips can leave behind as many as 10 000 bacteria. Microbiologist Paul Dawson, study rep, says that engaging in double dipping is on par with a highschool make-out session, in germ terms, that is. With so much bacteria moving from mouth to chip to bowl, be sure to ask yourself if you’d be willing to smooch your fellow dippers before diving in.
Cooties Preferable to Dippers Doom?
Even if swappin’ spit with your colleagues doesn’t faze you, consider what your man-handling office mates can leave on the communal box o’ donuts. While the mouth houses around 600 or 700 species of bacteria, experts confirm that there’s a far better chance of spreading infectious disease through the hands than through your pie hole.
Those who delight in dipping remember: the study's dipping instrument of choice was the cracker, and the jury’s still out on the risks associated with dipping nachos, chips or veggies. If your single-dipping coworkers don't buy that, consider these alternatives:
- Choose small chips so that a single dip will be sufficient
- Search for “wish chips” to save dip reserves inside the chip fold for subsequent bites
- Get your own dip bowl and ignore sneers of disgust from judging coworkers
Seeing that a session of double dips carries the same bacterial count as a computer mouse, it may be better to smooch your colleague than to shake their hand. And if team building at the company retreat leads to both make outs and double dips, then a case of the corporate cooties is inevitable.
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