Is snow safe to eat? Here’s what scientists have to say

You may have already tried this as a child, but it appears fresh snow might be safe to eat. At least that’s what scientists claim.

Researchers based in Romania have revealed how long you have until the white stuff becomes inedible.

The team found that snow that is a half-day old is safe to eat, especially in the colder months. After that, bacteria starts to accumulate.

Scientists collected snow from a park and from a roundabout in central Romania in January and February 2017, when temperatures ranged from minus 1.1C to minus 17.4C.

A day later scientists found there were five bacteria per millimetre of snow in January. The number was four times higher in February, when the temperatures were slightly warmer.

According to Istvan Mathe, a professor at the Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania, snow that is two days old is not safe to eat.

He told the Associated Press: “Very fresh snow has very little bacteria.

Mr Mathe said that impurities in the air causes microorganisms to increase in the snow. He added that the idea for the study came about when he saw his children eating snow.

He said: “I am not recommending anyone eats snow.

“Just saying you won’t get ill if you eat a bit.”