{
  "id": 11376247,
  "title": "Could sharing ketchup over french fries be an 'indirect kiss?'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/could-sharing-ketchup-over-french-fries-be-an-indirect-kiss",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-02T06:42:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/health/20261002/could-sharing-ketchup-over-french-fries-be-an-indirect-kiss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A shared ketchup experience, often called \"double dipping,\" can inadvertently result in an indirect kiss, according to a study from Clemson University. The act of biting into french fries and then dipping them back into a communal ketchup can transfer mouth bacteria into the sauce. While this practice may seem innocuous, especially among close friends, the study suggests that it can indeed facilitate the exchange of oral bacteria. Researchers found that around 800,000 bacteria would be transferred through a single double dip, comparable to the number of bacteria exchanged during a 10-second kiss. This playful comparison highlights the scientific underpinnings behind the common, albeit humorous, practice of sharing food through double dipping.",
  "summary": "com. Sharing french fries with a friend can sometimes lead to a familiar moment: You take a bite, then plunge the same fry back into the communal ketchup. It may seem harmless, particularly among close friends. Children and teenagers sometimes jokingly call sharing food this way an \"indirect kiss.\" As it turns out, the joke may have a little science behind…",
  "key_points": [
    "Double dipping can transfer mouth bacteria into ketchup.",
    "Study from Clemson University reveals 800,000 bacteria per dip.",
    "Equivalent to bacteria exchanged during a 10-second kiss."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Sharing ketchup through double dipping transfers mouth bacteria, making it comparable to a brief kiss and highlighting a previously unconsidered aspect of casual food sharing among friends.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Could sharing ketchup over french fries be an 'indirect kiss?'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/could-sharing-ketchup-over-french-fries-be-an-indirect-kiss-11379948",
        "published": "2026-10-02T07:07:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}