It is hard to imagine a birthday celebration with cutting a beautiful cake decorated with icing and blowing those candles to make a wish. In fact, as kids, we would always look forward to birthdays to indulge in the sweet icing that lace the cake. It's a habit that some of us have still not grown out of. However, that sweet icing could actually harm your health, according to a new study. Researchers from Clemson University in South Carolina have warned that following the old birthday ritual of blowing out the candles on birthday cakes could leave the dessert ridden with bacteria.
Most of us may not realise this, but when we blow out candles, there could also be chances of saliva being spit out onto the cake. Our mouth is full of bacteria, though not all of them are harmful. The researchers stated that the saliva that is spread when blowing out a birthday cake increases bacteria growth in the icing by almost 1,400 percent. However, he is quick to point out that it may not pose a serious health hazard unless the candle blower is sick or suffering from infection.
Dr Paul Dawson, who conducted the study along with his group of students came to this conclusion that evokes food safety concerns. Dr Dawson told Daily Mail Online that he actually got the idea while having a conversation with his daughter.
While during the course of their experiment the team did find enormous growth of bacteria on frosting after one blow of candles (with certain people spreading more bacteria than others), Dawson is of the opinion that it should in no way deter the practice of candles and cake.
The scientist believes that if it was that serious an issue it would have caused some big commotion by now considering how common the practice of blowing cakes on birthdays is. However, precaution must be taken.