Risky or Not?

A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

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Image from the internet.

842. Freezing Parboiled Potatoes in Large Masses

October 27, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks associated with freezing parboiled potatoes in bulk so they cool slowly.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • Large Outbreak of Botulism: The Hazardous Baked Potato | The Journal of Infectious Diseases | Oxford Academic
  • Freezing New Irish Potatoes - National Center for Home Food Preservation
  • Parboiling - Wikipedia
  • Black Sabbath – War Pigs Lyrics | Genius Lyrics


October 27, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Potatoes, Botulism, Bacillus cereus

Figure from Don’s manuscript

841. Watered Down Hand Soap

October 24, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from using watered down hand soap.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • Influence of Soap Characteristics and Food Service Facility Type on the Degree of Bacterial Contamination of Open, Refillable Bulk Soaps - ScienceDirect


October 24, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Bulk soap, Hand soap

Image from Reddit

840. DIY French Burger Kit

October 22, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating food from a DIY french burger kit.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • DIY Burger Kit in France : r/mildlyinteresting
  • Monty Python - The French Taunter - HD WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES - YouTube
  • Fresh Ground Beef Color: A Consumer Guide
  • Costco's New Pre-Made Burgers Leave Much To Be Desired
  • New at our Costco - Verona, WI. Bacon Cheddar Burger kits. 🍔 : r/Costco
  • Gasoline Grill - Our burger kit is making a comeback for Super... | Facebook


October 22, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Beef, Cross-contamination

ChatGPT image description: A slightly unappetizing pumpkin spice latte sits in a car cupholder. The drink’s foam has separated and darkened, leaving streaks of residue along the cup’s rim. A small, wrinkled pumpkin-shaped garnish rests on top, illuminated by natural light against the dark plastic interior, suggesting it’s been left for many hours.

839. 24 Hour Old Pumpkin Spice Latte

October 20, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from drinking a 24 hour old pumpkin spice latte.

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

  • Home – KonMari | The Official Website of Marie Kondo
  • Pumpkin Spice Latte: Starbucks Coffee Company
  • Significance of Bacterial Spores in Milk - ScienceDirect
  • Short communication: Bacterial ecology of high-temperature, short-time pasteurized milk processed in the United States - ScienceDirect
  • Risks Posed by Fluid Milk Past Its Expiration Date
October 20, 2025 /Don Schaffner

DALL·E image text: A partially filled plastic jug of organic lemonade sits open in the back of a refrigerator. The yellow drink looks old but free of surface mold. Its red cap rests nearby, clean and mold-free. The label still shows a lemon with a moldy patch, suggesting past spoilage concerns.

838. Opened Refrigerated Organic Lemonade After 4 Weeks

October 17, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from consuming opened organic lemonade refrigerated for 4 weeks.

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

October 17, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Shelf-life, Lemonade, Mold, Mycotoxin

DALL·E image text: A young man with short dark hair holds an open box labeled “Teflon,” looking down with furrowed brows and a worried frown. He wears a plain brown T-shirt and stands against a neutral gray background, his expression showing concern or uncertainty about what’s inside the box.

I couldn’t create an image showing someone about to eat Teflon because intentionally ingesting nonfood, potentially harmful materials violates safety guidelines and our content rules. While small accidental Teflon flakes are usually inert, encouraging deliberate consumption of nonfood substances could mislead or promote unsafe behavior, so I provided a safer alternative.

837. Eating Powdered Teflon

October 15, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from deliberately eating powdered teflon.

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

  • Jim Nielsen: "My wife came home with a giant…" - Mastodon
  • Nummy Tum-Tum Pure Organic Pumpkin Canned Dog & Cat Food Supplement | Chewy (Free Shipping)
  • Whats the Difference Between Raw and Pasteurized Milk?
  • Pet Food | FDA
October 15, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Teflon, Toxicology

Actual product discussed

836. Canned Pet Food

October 13, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating canned pet food.

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

  • Jim Nielsen: "My wife came home with a giant…" - Mastodon
  • Nummy Tum-Tum Pure Organic Pumpkin Canned Dog & Cat Food Supplement | Chewy (Free Shipping)
  • Whats the Difference Between Raw and Pasteurized Milk?
  • Pet Food | FDA
October 13, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Canning, Low acid canned foods, Pet food

Actual photo from reddit post

835. "Cooking" a Wrapped Egg in a Compost Pile

October 10, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from cooking a wrapped egg in a compost pile.

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

  • Composting Temperature
  • Egg update : r/composting
  • Onsen Tamago (Japanese-style Soft-Boiled Egg) - RecipeTin Japan
  • British Lion Eggs | What Does the Lion Stamp Mean | Egg Info
  • Cooking Eggs Sous Vide
October 10, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Eggs, Salmonella, Composting

DALL·E image text: A frustrated person furiously scrubs a glass under a stream of steaming hot water from a faucet. Their face is tense and teeth clenched, with steam rising and water splashing in all directions. No soap is used, and their reddened hands show the heat of the scalding water.

834. Washing Drinking Glasses With Only Hot Water and Friction

October 08, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of washing drinking glasses with only hot water and friction.

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

  • Still too hot: Examination of water temperature and water heater characteristics 24 years after manufacturers adopt voluntary temperature setting - PMC
  • Quantifying the Effects of Water Temperature, Soap Volume, Lather Time, and Antimicrobial Soap as Variables in the Removal of Escherichia coli ATCC 11229 from Hands - ScienceDirect
  • 316. Using Cups to Scoop Water Out of a Shared Bowl — Risky or Not?
October 08, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Cross-contamination, Washing, Water, Temperature

DALL·E image text: A cheerful British man with shoulder-length red-brown hair and a gap-toothed smile washes dishes in a cozy kitchen. He scrubs a soapy plate and places it into a white dish rack, with bubbles clinging to the dishes. Sunlight filters through a window, brightening the warm, homey space.

833. British Dishwashing Method

October 06, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from using the British dishwashing method.

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

  • Bacon Method
  • Instagram
  • Is It Safe To Clean Your Dishes The 'British Way'? Health Experts Explain
  • Three the Hard Way (film) - Wikipedia
  • Human health risk assessment of chloroxylenol in liquid hand soap and dishwashing soap used by consumers and health-care professionals - ScienceDirect
  • Ingestion of bar soap may produce serious injury: clinical effects and risk factors: Clinical Toxicology: Vol 57, No 5
  • What to Know About Dish Soap | Poison Control
October 06, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Dishwashing, Soap, Toxicology

Real Ozzy, fake bat.

832. Biting the Head Off a Bat or Dove

October 03, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from biting the head off a bat or a dove.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • Black Sabbath ~ War Pigs - YouTube
  • War Pigs - Wikipedia
  • Fairies Wear Boots - YouTube
  • Fairies Wear Boots - Wikipedia
  • Did Ozzy Osbourne really bite the head off a live bat?
  • Frontiers | An overview of bats microbiota and its implication in transmissible diseases
  • Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases of Columbiformes - PMC
October 03, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Ozzy Osborne, Bat, Dove, Biting

DALL·E image text: A white drip coffee maker sits on a beige countertop. The glass carafe is filled with dark coffee, while the clear water reservoir shows a small patch of green algae confined to the bottom left corner. The design is simple, clean, and highlighted by soft, even lighting.

831. Drinking Coffee Made With Water From a Reservoir With a Bit of Algae

October 01, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of drinking coffee made from a coffee maker that has algae growing in the transparent water reservoir.

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

  • The coffee-machine bacteriome: biodiversity and colonisation of the wasted coffee tray leach - PMC
  • Preliminary Investigation on Hygienic-Sanitary Quality of Food Vending Machines - PMC
  • Safety and quality assessment of hot-drinks vending machines in Southern Italy - ScienceDirect
  • Toxic or Otherwise Harmful Algae and the Built Environment
  • Cyanobacteria in fish ponds - ScienceDirect
  • Toxicology of Aquarium Fish - ScienceDirect
October 01, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Toxicology, Algae, Coffee, Water

DALL·E image: A teenage hockey player in full gear holds up his skate and licks the icy blade. Wearing a black helmet, red jersey, and gloves, he leans in with his tongue touching the blade. The rink background is blurred, emphasizing his focused expression and the unusual act.

830. Eating Skate Ice

September 29, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating ice off of your hockey skates.

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

  • Raptors Instagram
  • 571. Hockey Ice Gum — Risky or Not?
  • Ice resurfacer - Wikipedia
  • 316. Using Cups to Scoop Water Out of a Shared Bowl — Risky or Not?
  • How Untreated Water Will Affect The Quality Of Your Ice Surface
  • NHL Unites | NHL.com
  • Microbiological Quality of Packaged Ice from Various Sources in Georgia - ScienceDirect
  • Arena ice quality and perspectives on optimizing performance and addressing emerging challenges - PMC
  • Pablo Torre F*cks Around and Finds Out feat. Pablo Torre | Chapo Trap House - YouTube
September 29, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Hockey, Ice, Cross-contamination

Justin’s actual frosting.

829. Betty Crocker Frosting Stored Out of Refrigeration

September 26, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of storing frosting that says "Cover and refrigerate leftover frosting up to 30 days" at room temperature after opening.

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

  • Justin Ekins on X: "@benjaminchapman @bugcounter would it be risky or not to store this Betty Crocker vanilla frosting out of the refrigerator for, say, 6 months after opening and then use it to frost a cake? https://t.co/k7NDNlSksq" / X
  • Let Them Eat Cake | Chemical Engineering Education
September 26, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Frosting, Water activity, Shelf-life

DALL·E image text: Four cheerful club members gather around a table piled with dusty, vintage MRE packages. A wooden sign above them reads “Vintage MRE Club.” The group smiles with excitement, examining the old rations in a cozy, wood-paneled room that captures the nostalgic and quirky spirit of their unusual hobby.

828. Vintage US Meals, Ready-to-Eat (MREs)

September 24, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of consuming "vintage" (i.e., old) MREs from around the world, but focusing in those from the US.

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

  • Meal, Ready-to-Eat - Wikipedia
  • Ensuring the Safety and Quality of RTE Meals for U.S. Service Members | Food Safety
  • Jeremy Zenlea | LinkedIn
  • Army researchers dug into the effects of MREs on gut health, here's what they discovered | Article | The United States Army
  • Shelf-Stable Food Safety | Food Safety and Inspection Service
  • Mathematical Models for the Effects of pH, Temperature, and Sodium Chloride on the Growth of Bacillus stearothermophilus in Salty Carrots - PubMed
  • Mathematical Models for the Effects of pH, Temperature, and Sodium Chloride on the Growth of Bacillus stearothermophilus in Salty Carrots
September 24, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Meals Ready-to-Eat, MREs, Shelf-life

Screen capture from TikTok

827. Bloated Meat Packages

September 22, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of meat from puffy or bloated packages.

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

  • Basset Hound Bloat Chart
  • 465. Kurtis's Puffy Sausage — Risky or Not?
  • Are "Bloated" Meat Packages Safe? We Asked a Food Safety Expert | The Kitchn
  • TikTok - Always check your meat for this!
  • Modified Atmosphere and Vacuum Packaging of Meat and Poultry Products: Food Reviews International: Vol 18, No 4
  • Advancing sustainability through modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) for fresh food preservation: A critical review - ScienceDirect
September 22, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Spoilage, Meat, Modified atmosphere packaging

A man at a baseball stadium concession stand holds a hamburger, frowning at a messy stack of cheese slices on a tray. Another person’s hand reaches in to grab a slice, emphasizing the communal, slightly unsanitary feel. The baseball field is visible in the background.

826. Ballpark Cheeseburger With Self-Serve Sticky Cheese

September 19, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating Ballpark cheeseburger made with with self-serve sticky cheese handled by others.

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

  • Alexandria Aces Collegiate Summer Baseball Team in Alexandria, Virginia
  • A Study of Staphylococcus Aureus Growth in Model Systems and Processed Cheese - MAGRINI - 1983 - Journal of Food Science - Wiley Online Library
  • High Hand Contamination Rates During Norovirus Outbreaks in Long-Term Care Facilities - PMC
  • State of Handwashing Report.pdf
September 19, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Cross-contamination, Cheese

Figure from Barbut et at., 1987 of hard cooked egg shelf life

825. Air Cooled Hard Boiled Eggs After a Week at Room Temperature

September 17, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating air cooled hard boiled eggs after a week at room temperature.

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

  • 775. Coin in Cup for Freezer Safety After Power Outages — Risky or Not?
  • FDA Food Code | FDA
  • 210. Air cooled hard boiled eggs at room temperature — Risky or Not?
  • 467. Rich's Hard Boiled Eggs (With Bra Egg Bonus) — Risky or Not?
  • Hard-Cooked Egg Shelf Life - ScienceDirect


September 17, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Eggs, Hardboiled Eggs, Time temperature control for safety food, Spoilage

ChatGPT image text: A lifeless British admiral from 1800 lies preserved in a wooden barrel filled with brandy, camphor, and myrrh. His ornate naval uniform contrasts with his pale face as eerie fumes rise, creating a haunting, atmospheric scene of death, preservation, and solemn reverence aboard a dimly lit ship.

824. Drinking Horatio Nelson's Embalming Fluid Made With Brandy

September 15, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from drinking drinking Horatio Nelson' embalming fluid made with brandy, with camphor and myrrh.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson - Wikipedia
  • Camphor overdose: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
  • Nelson: A Personal History: Hibbert, Christopher: 9780201624571: Amazon.com: Books
  • Christopher Hibbert - Wikipedia
September 15, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Brandy, Embalming Fluid, Camphor

ChatGPT image text: In a warehouse store, a smiling employee in a red apron offers food samples while a serious professor in a white lab coat studies the setup, arms crossed.

823. Costco Free Food Samples

September 12, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from consuming Costco free food samples.

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

  • Multistate outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections associated with in-store sampling of an aged raw-milk Gouda cheese, 2010 - PubMed
  • Are Costco Samples Safe To Eat? Here's What You Need To Know About Hygiene Practices
  • Coronavirus outbreak prompts Costco to stop serving free samples
September 12, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Costco, Food samples, Allergy, Time temperature control for safety food
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