Snackers, please no double dipping

SALEM The Super Bowl Sunday is known not only as a display of football but a time for people to come together and celebrate.

Clemson University researchers now say there's a new danger these parties can present, and it's connected to the infamous "double dip."

The study was conducted by measuring the amount of bacteria in a dip that came from the mouths of the study participants. From this the participants were asked to take a bite out of a cracker that they had just scooped up with dip.

After performing the double dip eight times, the study found that the dip had a few extra ingredients in it that most would no prefer to eat bacteria.

Is there a health risk associated with sticking a piece of partially eaten food into a dip or salsa?

"Yes, you have a lot of bacteria on your skin and more in your mouth," said Joanne Konschak, director of infectious disease control of South Jersey Healthcare. "(For most bacteria) the dip becomes a breeding ground they can use to feed off."

And double dipping is not the only way party food can become a danger.

The United States Department of Agriculture on its Web site explains that any dish left out for more then two hours, not being preserved by added heat or cold, should be discarded.

The USDA states that after two hours the food can become a home for area bacteria.

The practice of double dipping was highlighted in an episode of the television show "Seinfeld." In the episode George Costanza is seen taking a bite out of his chip, and then re-dipping the same chip.

"That's like putting your whole mouth right in the dip," explained Timmy, a character from in the famous "Seinfeld" episode, in reference to George Costanza double-dipping a chip. "From now on, when you take a chip, just take one dip and end it!"