Why You Should Think Twice Before Double Dipping Into A Pint Of Ice Cream
When it's time to indulge in some ice cream, what's your style — do you scoop an individual portion into a bowl or do you just open up the whole ice cream carton and dig right in? While movies and TV shows seem to always depict characters eating their frozen treats straight from the source, it's actually an irresponsible habit to promote. Sure, eating your ice cream directly from the carton might save you time on dishwashing, but it might actually end up harming your health.
Double dipping is generally frowned upon, not only when it comes to ice cream, but any communal food. According to a study published in Journal of Food Safety, once you put an item in your mouth and then back into a container of food, the bacteria from your mouth transfers to the food. While the amount of bacteria that's transferred varies, depending on the consistency of the food, taking chances with any amount of bacteria may not be a risk you want to take.
Ice cream and heat are a recipe for disaster
Besides the bacteria from the spoon itself, the major problem with eating ice cream straight from the carton is the time spent outside of the freezer. Ice cream begins to melt rapidly at room temperature, which allows bacteria like Listeria to develop. Listeria can cause nausea, vomiting, and a slew of other stomach problems. Unfortunately, putting your ice cream back in the freezer will not kill the bacteria once it has already formed. As soon as your tub of ice cream starts to melt, you're entering unsafe territory.
"If the container no longer feels frozen to the touch and the melted ice cream is not visibly frozen anymore, the pint or tub should be discarded," says Rachel Lustgarten, a registered dietitian and food safety expert at Weill Cornell Medicine, explained to TODAY Food.
No matter how tempted you are to double dip your spoon into a pint of ice cream, it's probably best to resist that urge for your safety and the safety of anyone else in your household. To maintain the quality and freshness of your ice cream, be sure you're not storing ice cream incorrectly.