A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

A rugged, bare-chested Canadian man with a bushy beard smiles while holding a rice ball. His wild hair and visible chest hair add to his outdoorsy charm. In the background, a shy Japanese girl blushes, covering her face with one hand, standing in a cozy, traditional Japanese-style kitchen.

735. Armpit Riceballs

February 19, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of making riceballs in an armpit.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

Human sweat-infused rice balls fashioned in the armpits of cute Japanese girls become unlikely culinary hit, at a price | South China Morning Post
Sweat and Sebum Preferences of the Human Skin Microbiota | Microbiology Spectrum
The Microbiota of the Human Skin | SpringerLink
The effect of habitual and experimental antiperspirant and deodorant product use on the armpit microbiome [PeerJ]

Chopped onions, ginger, and garlic are neatly sun-dried on a clean wire rack over a wooden table in a modern suburban patio. The bright, soft sunlight highlights the fresh produce. The backdrop features a well-maintained backyard with a green lawn, stylish outdoor furniture, and a serene, upscale ambiance.

734. Sun Drying Onions, Ginger and Garlic for 4 Days

February 17, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of sun drying onions, ginger and garlic for 4 days.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

A small strawberry sits at the bottom of an absurdly deep kitchen sink garbage disposal filled with a chaotic spiral of countless sharp blades. The exaggerated quantity of blades contrasts humorously with the strawberry’s vulnerability. A big red button labeled "Garbage Disposal" looms in the background, enhancing the scene’s comedic tension.

733. Ben's Garbage Disposal Strawberry

February 14, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating a strawberry that has fallen into a garbage disposal.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

The image shows a professor in a lab coat and glasses, using a tip-sensitive digital thermometer to measure the temperature at the center of a container of vegetarian chili. The chili is on a refrigerator shelf in a home kitchen, with the fridge open, revealing various food items.

732. Don's Slow Cooling Veggie Chili

February 12, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of slow cooling vegetarian chili.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

The image depicts a cyclist in professional gear standing beside their road bike on a scenic route. They are licking an energy chew, preparing to stick it to the bike frame. The background features mountains or countryside, with early morning light setting a serene atmosphere for the long ride ahead.

731. Sticking Energy Chews to a Bike's Frame for Easy Access

February 10, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from sticking energy chews to a bike's frame for easy access.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

The image depicts a person at a table, holding a fork near their mouth with a surprised expression. They are about to accidentally eat sprouts that have fallen off a Chia Pet, which sits nearby with missing greenery. The scene is humorous, lighthearted, and brightly lit.

730. Accidentally Eating Some Seeds or Sprouts From a Chia Pet

February 07, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks posed by accidentally eating some seeds or sprouts from a Chia Pet.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

The image shows a slightly older, balding Canadian professor with short blonde hair, glasses, and a short beard on a Brazilian farm. He looks nervous as he holds a tiny piece of raw milk Gouda cheese. Behind him are lush green fields, grazing cows, a rustic barn, and a Brazilian flag waving.

729. Eating Raw Milk Gouda Cheese in an Unregulated Brazilian Facility

February 05, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks that Ben faced when eating raw milk gouda cheese in an unregulated Brazilian facility.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

The image shows a transparent plastic container filled with brown sugar, with dry, crumbly pieces of stale bread mixed in. The container is placed on a clean kitchen countertop with a neutral background, emphasizing the sugar’s granular texture and the contrasting roughness of the bread.

728. Using Stale Bread in Brown Sugar

February 03, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using stale bread to keep brown sugar moist.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

The image shows a person loading dishes into an open dishwasher in a modern, well-lit kitchen. The dishes are visibly contaminated with red streaks and residue from raw meat juices, emphasizing cross-contamination risks. The individual, dressed casually, appears unaware of the contamination, with clean countertops and appliances surrounding them.

727. Placing Raw Meat Dishes Directly in the Dishwasher

January 31, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from not pre-washing raw meat dishes and placing them directly in the dishwasher.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

A close-up of a sunny-side-up egg cooking in a textured black pan. The yolk is vibrant yellow, and the whites are cooked with light browning at the edges. Subtle, glowing, microscopic virus-like shapes are faintly embedded in the egg whites, blending naturally into the scene under warm lighting.

726. Sunny Side Up Egg From a Bird Infected With Bird Flu

January 29, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from sunny side up egg from a bird infected with bird flu.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

The image depicts a man standing next to a bulldozer on a landfill. He appears worried, gazing at a pile of chicken feathers, beaks, and feet amidst the trash. The setting is overcast, with debris scattered around, creating a somber and tense atmosphere.

725. Landfilling Ground Up HPAI Infected Chickens Without PPE

January 27, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of workers landfilling ground up highly pathogenic avian influenza infected chickens without personal protective equipment.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

A whimsical scene of a bearded professor in a tweed jacket sipping diet cola while licking orange cheese dust off his fingers from Cheetos. Surrounded by scattered books and papers in a cozy academic office, his quirky enjoyment adds charm to the playful, lighthearted atmosphere.

724. Licking Cheetos Dust Off Your Fingers

January 24, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from licking Cheetos dust off your fingers.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

A playful winter scene of a person licking an icicle attached to the edge of a snow-covered wooden cabin roof. Dressed in a cozy coat, gloves, and a beanie, they stand on a snowy ground, surrounded by snow-laden trees under a clear blue sky, capturing a fun, chilly moment.

723. Occasionally Eating Roof Icicles

January 22, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from occasionally eating icicles off your roof.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

A lighthearted scene of a person changing a baby's diaper in a cozy nursery. Unknowingly, they have baby poop on their finger, dangerously close to their mouth. The baby lies amused on a changing table, surrounded by baby wipes, a clean diaper, and pastel-colored toys, creating a playful atmosphere.

722. Eating Baby Poop Regularly

January 20, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating baby poop regularly.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

The image depicts a lively coffee cupping session where participants share spoons, simultaneously dipping them into small labeled coffee cups arranged on a rustic wooden table. The cozy café setting features sunlight streaming through large windows, green plants, and coffee equipment, creating a warm, collaborative, and interactive atmosphere.

721. Coffee Cupping in January

January 17, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from coffee tasting using shared cups, i.e., coffee cupping.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

The image shows a contact lens setup on a clean bathroom countertop. A contact lens case with open lids sits beside a bottle of cleaning solution with its cap removed and placed nearby. The countertop features a neatly arranged towel and a mirror, all illuminated by natural light.

720. Accidentally Leaving Your Contact Lens Solution Bottle Open

January 15, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from accidentally leaving your contact lens solution bottle open.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

The image shows an upright freezer in a dimly lit garage, surrounded by clutter like tools and boxes. The freezer door is slightly ajar, and a bright warning light near the top is prominently flashing, creating a sense of urgency against the muted tones of the garage setting.

719. Freezer Ajar for 24 Hours

January 13, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from food in a freezer ajar for 24 hours.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

The image depicts a person cutting beef bones on a bandsaw in a dimly lit basement or garage. They wear a white chef's hat, protective goggles, and chainmail gloves. The scene includes a sturdy workbench, concrete floors, and storage shelves with tools and boxes, emphasizing the utilitarian, informal environment.

718. Cutting Bones on a Band Saw

January 10, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from cutting bones on a band saw for use in soup stock.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

Food saws for meat - band saws by Wintersteiger

The image depicts an expired open package of deli meat in a dimly lit refrigerator. The meat appears discolored and unappetizing, with crumpled packaging and faint condensation. Surrounding items include a milk carton, a pickle jar, and vegetables, emphasizing a neglected, realistic kitchen scene.

717. Eating Opened Processed Deli Turkey a Month Past Its Best Before Date

January 08, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating expired turkey deli meat.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

A blindfolded person leans over a table, humorously using their face to sort seven quirky objects: an egg, paper, cheese wedge, icy tetrahedron, banana, water-filled cube, and jello pentagonal prism. The colorful, playful setting highlights the absurdity of the task, blending surreal elements with a touch of whimsy.

716. Arranging Objects on a Table Using Only Your Face

January 06, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of arranging objects on a table using only your face.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼