Did You Just Eat That?

August 6, 2018
Dawson and Sheldon, a professor of food science at Clemson University and professor emeritus in food microbiology at North Carolina State University, respectively, examine common food myths and safety practices in this entertaining, science-based text. The authors divide their exploration into three sections: “Surfaces,” “Air and Water,” and “Transport Mechanisms.” In each one, they provide a brief but lively discussion as well as the explication of their own experiments. In one, “brave student researchers fanned out on homecoming weekend” to gather used beer pong balls. The balls invariably were contaminated with bacteria, but to wildly varying degrees; a ball used outdoors was covered with nearly three million bacteria, while one used indoors was populated by just 180. Student researchers also swabbed restaurant menus, which were found to be “crawling with bacteria.” The authors also discuss sharing popcorn, blowing out birthday candles, and double dipping chips. Dawson and Sheldon have a light and amusing approach despite their somber warning that food-borne illnesses are common and can be serious and even life-threatening. Clean, quirky graphics and a casual tone will help make this text fun and engaging for anyone with a strong stomach.

October 1, 2018
This book documents the efforts of food experts Dawson and Sheldon to test the validity of popular theories related to food consumption and general hygiene in controlled laboratory experiments. For instance, they wonder if it really is OK to share some birthday cake after blowing out the candles or that hand dryers should be used instead of paper towels. Their meticulously documented results are pretty conclusive: don't. Don't consume food that's been compromised in any way, whether blown on or dropped on the floor, and definitely don't use those bacteria sprayers found in public restrooms. After readers learn how disease-bearing bacteria thrive just about anywhere, research findings are reported, along with warnings that precede scientific text, allowing readers to skip to the more accessible conclusions. The authors acknowledge that other factors can contribute to food and air-borne illnesses. However, this cautionary tale underlines the importance of basic health guidelines: wash your hands frequently; store leftovers properly; and when it comes to food in general, when in doubt, throw it out.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)