Inside Edition sought out a food expert for tips on how to have a safe trip to the buffet.
Stomach-churning video captured a man sipping soup directly from a buffet ladle.
The man, who has not been identified, was caught on camera slurping four times from the dipper at a hot bar at a Mariano's grocery store in Chicago, apparently sampling the soup.
Video of the incident quickly went viral online, with commenters bemoaning the unsanitary practice.
"Horrific!" one person tweeted.
"I'm so grossed out," added another.
This man is far from alone, however. Self-serve stations can be a cesspool for potentially deadly bacteria, which is why it's important to know the best practices when it comes to eating at a buffet.
Inside Edition spoke to Westchester County Health Department Assistant Commissioner Peter DeLucia to get his best safety tips.
"That's just disgusting," DeLucia said when he was shown the video out of Chicago. "It can make people sick."
First, if you see the handle of the spoon or tongs resting on the food, make sure to steer clear.
"Think about how many people are touching all of these handles," said DeLucia. "And you know, they've touched their face, they've touched their mouth ... you want to make sure you wash your hands."
He also urged any buffet-goers to make sure to give food a stir.
"You want that temperature from the bottom to circulate through the food," he said. That way, it's heated correctly.
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