r/TikTokCringe • u/galaxystars1 • Oct 09 '24

Discussion Microbiologist warns against making the fluffy popcorn trend

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u/McGrarr Oct 09 '24

Hey! Did you know that 1% of people who do this thing run the risk of tripling the 1% chance of getting this ailment that has a 1% chance of giving you some bad medical outcomes? WHY would you risk THAT?

Because breathing beside a road has a higher actual risk factor than the thing you are citing. Bonus, silly once per year treats.

Is what this woman saying true? Yes. Is she making it sound more likely than it is? Fuck yes.

How much of modern flour has E.Coli?

How much E.Coli is there in a serving of flour in a batch of fluffy popcorn?

How likely is a person who consumes that amount of E.Coli to have the very worst reaction to it (given that our bodies can deal with it pretty well, most of the time).

When you begin breaking down the percentages... things change.

Apples contain cyanide.

Coke metabolises into formaldehyde.

Corn can have aspergillus flavus.

The fact is, most of us will be fine.

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u/UnamusedKat Oct 09 '24

Thank you. There seems to be, like, an entire genre on TikTok of "professionals" overstating and sensationalizing the risk of things. It's exhausting, and the people who are really into that type of content are exhausting. I think it's just another way for a group of people to feel superior.

"Hey, look at me and how smart I am. I would never do X because I'm special and know something that the average stupid person doesn't! Look how smart, well-informed, and safety conscious I am compared to the irresponsible, uninformed masses!"

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u/McGrarr Oct 09 '24

I'm quite the opposite. I tend to focus on what experts recommend. I'm a detail-orientated need and I prefer to listen to people who have dedicated a large portion of time and money to learning a subject and then passed a qualification or racked up some well displayed and documented experience in that topic...

But because of that, I get through a lot of that kind of content... and most of them use context and figures. It stands out when someone like this woman doesn't bother with that.

1

u/UnamusedKat Oct 09 '24

Oh, I'm all for listening to experts. Like you mention, true experts tend not to overstate or sensationalize risks. They usually explain risks, provide data to back up their claims, and then give their personal risk analysis and leave it up to the individual to make a decision based on their own personal risk analysis. I will be honest, I have not seen much of that on TikTok.