Do you think it's acceptable for people to use their fingers to take food IF their fingers don't touch any food other than the food they take?

I was at a party before and there were pieces of corn in a pot. There was a large fork (like a meat fork) the hostess put for people to take the corn with. Admittedly, it was not the best thing to take the corn, since corn is pretty hard and the fork didn’t really go into it too easily. One of the guests used their fingers to take his piece of corn. The hostess said reminded him to use the fork and he said “I’m only touching my piece.” I could see the hostess’s point, and I could see his point.

Do you think it’s acceptable for people to use their fingers to take food IF their fingers don’t touch any food other than the food they take?