A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

912. Only Rinsing a Plastic Microwave Food Cover

April 08, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using a plastic microwave food cover that you only rinse and do not wash.

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

ChatGPT image description: A guilty-looking dog sits on a messy kitchen floor in front of an open dishwasher. Food scraps, a sponge, and a utensil are scattered around. The dog’s drooping ears and sad eyes suggest it caused the mess and knows it’s in trouble.

911. Mixing People and Giardia Infected Dog Dishes in the Dishwater

April 06, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from mixing dishes from people and from Giardia infected dogs in the dishwater.

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

ChatGPT image description: An elegant Welsh fine-dining restaurant with rustic stone walls and candlelit tables displays two Michelin stars at the entrance. A Welsh-language sign reads “Bwyty Gorau Cymru.” Nearby, a separate red placard humorously reveals a low one-star hygiene rating, contrasting sharply with the refined, upscale atmosphere.

910. Eating at a Two Star Michelin Restaurant With a One Star Hygiene Rating

April 03, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating at a two star Michelin restaurant with a one star hygiene rating.

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

ChatGPT image description: A yogurt container sits atop a snowy mountain, its lid visibly swollen from altitude. Behind it, a playful yeti peeks from behind a snow-covered tree. Rugged peaks stretch into the distance under a bright blue sky, creating a whimsical scene blending food packaging physics with a mythical alpine setting.

909. Bulging Yogurt at Elevation

April 01, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from consuming yogurt that was bulging after transport to a higher elevation.

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

ChatGPT image description: A relaxed, scruffy man with long hair and a bathrobe stands by an open refrigerator, holding a stick of butter smeared with dark residue from a dirty pan. He casually returns the contaminated butter to the fridge, while the greasy pan sits below, highlighting a clear food safety concern.

908. Using Butter Rubbed on a Dirty Pan

March 30, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from using butter that was rubbed on a dirty pan.

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

ChatGPT image description: A vibrant home vegetable garden with leafy greens, tomatoes, and carrots is shown in daylight. In the soil, a bright yellow biohazard sign warns “Composted Botulinum Toxin.” Gardening tools rest nearby, contrasting the healthy plants with the ominous, humorous food-safety warning.

907. Vegetables Grown in Soil with Composted Botulinum Toxin

March 27, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating vegetables grown in soil with composted botulinum toxin.

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

This image is generated from Don's Perfringens Predictor analysis.

906. White Castle Burgers in a Cooler for 12 Hours

March 25, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating White Castle burgers in a cooler for 12 hours.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

ChatGPT image description: A preschooler happily bites into a sandwich while holding it with visibly dirty, mud-stained fingernails. The child’s messy hands contrast with the simple ham sandwich and bright striped shirt. The close-up emphasizes the fingernails and hands, highlighting a classic food-safety concern about hand hygiene during eating.

905. Eating With Poopy Fingernail Hands

March 23, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating with poopy fingernail hands.

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

Image description: actual screen capture from the Instagram reel.

904. Dishwasher Hot Dogs

March 20, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from making hot dogs in your dishwasher.

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

903. Three Month Old Compound Butter

March 18, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from three month old refrigerated compound butter.

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

ChatGPT image description: David Bowie and Bing Crosby sit in a festive Irish pub on St. Patrick’s Day, staring in shock at a tiny pair of denim overalls pulled from a bowl of Mrs. Murphy’s chowder. Shamrocks, Irish flags, and dark pints surround them as the absurd discovery drips chowder onto the table. 🍀

902. Overalls in Mrs. Murphy's Chowder

March 16, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from the Overalls in Mrs. Murphy's Chowder.

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

Image description: actual image from the clickbait-y video

901. Coffee Made in a Coffee Maker Used to "Wash" Underwear

March 13, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of drinking coffee from a coffee pot used to wash underware.

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

ChatGPT image description: A rustic bar of garlic-themed soap sits on a wooden board, its creamy surface marbled with pale yellow swirls and topped with dried herbs. Garlic bulbs and loose cloves surround the soap alongside parsley, salt crystals, and peppercorns, giving the scene a culinary, farmhouse aesthetic reminiscent of artisanal soap displays.

900. Dried Garlic in Cold Process Soap

March 11, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of making garlic soap (eventually).

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

ChatGPT image description: A herd of goats stands on hind legs in a lush vineyard, eagerly eating clusters of ripe wine grapes from the vines. Some goats forage on fallen grapes below. In the background, a rustic stone winery with tiled roofs sits under a clear blue sky, framed by rolling hills.

899. Wine From Grapes Grazed by Goats

March 09, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from drinking wine from grapes grazed by goats.

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

Image description: These are the actual veggie wings and Dr. Don’s actual unwashed hands.

898. Flipping Veggie Wings With Unwashed Hands

March 06, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from flipping veggie wings with unwashed hands.

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

ChatGPT image description: A rustic kitchen scene centers on a bowl of cooked brown rice on a wooden counter. Above and around it, pantry moths flutter beneath hanging utensils, garlic, herbs, and chili peppers. The warm lighting contrasts the wholesome food with an unsettling infestation.

897. Cooked Brown Rice Infested With Pantry Moths

March 04, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating eating cooked brown rice infested with pantry moths.

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

ChatGPT image description: A fluffy orange cat sits on a kitchen floor, squinting and wrinkling its nose in clear disgust at a stainless steel water bowl filled with cloudy, debris-laden water. The cat’s expression conveys strong refusal, as if judging the water unfit to drink.

896. Not Washing a Cats Water Bowl for a Week

March 02, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from not washing a pets water bowl for a week.

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

ChatGPT image description: A food microbiologist in a lab coat, gloves, and mask carefully examines a caramel apple removed from a mailed package. The apple is wrapped in plastic and studded with nuts. The scientist’s furrowed brow and cautious posture convey concern about the apple’s safety.

895. Caramel Apple That's Been Shipped Priority Mail

February 27, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating a candied or caramel apple that's been shipped priority mail.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

ChatGPT image description: A grinning old-time criminal in a black eye mask and striped prison uniform stands behind a pizza counter, slicing and serving pizza. The vintage pizzeria setting includes stacked boxes, condiments, and a retro sign, creating a playful, anachronistic scene where a cartoonish outlaw works as a pizza seller.

894. Pizza Sold by a Person That Broke Into the Restaurant

February 25, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from Eating pizza sold by a person that broke into a pizza restaurant.

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

Image description: The actual gummy bear in question.

893. Eating an Opened Two-Year-Old 5-Pound Gummy Bear

February 23, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating an opened two-year-old 5-pound gummy bear,

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