Risky or Not?

A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

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Actual crazy car ranch lady.

929. Car Ranch

May 18, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating ranch dressing stored in a warm car for an extended period of time.

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • Instagram, Car Ranch
  • Models for the Inactivation of Foodborne Pathogens in Salad Dressing from Challenge Studies - ScienceDirect
  • Packaging for Sauces, Dips, Dressings & Marinades
  • Salad Dressing Challenge Study
  • Do You Need Microbial Challenge Testing? | Food Safety Magazine
May 18, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Ranch dressing, Dressings and sauces, Challenge study, Time temperature control for safety food

Jenny Tian describing her prize task

928. Keeping Your Shampoo Bottle on the Floor of the Shower

May 15, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from keeping your shampoo bottle on the floor of the shower.

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • Season 2 (AU) | Taskmaster Wiki | Fandom
  • Jenny Tian | Taskmaster Wiki | Fandom
  • 716. Arranging Objects on a Table Using Only Your Face β€” Risky or Not?
  • 821. Consuming a Fly in Wine, Twice β€” Risky or Not?
  • Old Spice 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner, Swagger , 22 OZ - CVS Pharmacy
  • Dial Men Recharge 3 in 1 Recharge Body Wash, Cedar Leaf, 16 OZ - CVS Pharmacy
  • Comparison of urinary tract infection rates in nursing homes before and after purchase of a newly designed shower system - ProQuest
May 15, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Cross-contamination, Shower, Shampoo

ChatGPT image description: A man stands at a stove in a warm kitchen, eating chicken wings while tending a simmering pot. As he finishes each wing, he drops the bones directly into the boiling stock, blending casual eating with cooking in an unusual, slightly unsanitary preparation method.

927. Making Stock With Chewed or Licked Chicken Bones (Normal Style)

May 13, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating stock made from chewed or licked chicken bones, where are the chicken has been eaten "normal style".

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • Making stock with β€œchewed” chicken bones? : r/Cooking
May 13, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Chicken stock, Cross-contamination, Boiling

ChatGPT image description: A man cooks in a warm, modern kitchen while wearing earbuds, pausing thoughtfully with sauce-covered hands. A woman asks him a question nearby. A thought bubble shows his dilemma: touch his phone to pause a podcast or keep cooking. Fresh ingredients and a simmering pot surround him.

926. Touching Your Phone in the Middle of Prepping Dinner

May 11, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from touching your phone in the middle of prepping dinner.

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • Consumers' Use of Personal Electronic Devices in the Kitchen - ScienceDirect
  • The role of mobile phones as a possible pathway for pathogen movement, a cross-sectional microbial analysis - ScienceDirect
  • A pilot metagenomic study reveals that community derived mobile phones are reservoirs of viable pathogenic microbes | Scientific Reports
  • The potential role of mobile phones in the spread of bacterial infections | The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
  • ESKAPE - Wikipedia
May 11, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Phone, Cross-contamination

ChatGPT image description: A conflicted man stands beside a trash can in a dim movie theater hallway, hesitating over a large tub of leftover popcorn resting on top. His hand hovers uncertainly as other patrons walk away. A nearby sign urges proper trash disposal, underscoring the awkward, tempting situation.

925. Eating Someone Else's Leftover Popcorn at the Movies

May 08, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating someone else's leftover popcorn at the movies.

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • 316. Using Cups to Scoop Water Out of a Shared Bowl β€” Risky or Not?
  • Effect of Biting Before Dipping (Double‐Dipping) Chips on the Bacterial Population of the Dipping Solution - Trevino- 2009 - Journal of Food Safety - Wiley Online Library
  • Seven filthy food habits and how dirty they really are
May 08, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Popcorn, Cross-contamination, Double dipping

ChatGPT image description: A nervous man in a liquor store awkwardly hides a wine bottle in his pants while glancing sideways. Shelves of alcohol line the aisle. A security mirror reflects him from above, and bright store lighting emphasizes the tense yet slightly comical moment of attempted theft.

924. Drinking a Bottle of Wine That Has Been Stuffed in a Thief’s Trousers

May 06, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from drinking a bottle of wine that has been stuffed in a thief’s trousers.

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • Pierre-Joseph Proudhon - Wikipedia
  • Post by @gregorykoch.bsky.social β€” Bluesky
  • Un-wine-ding The Crime
  • Beastie Boys – Johnny Ryall Lyrics | Genius Lyrics
May 06, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Wine, Cross-contamination

ChatGPT image description: An old, worn box of Cheez-It crackers sits open, its faded red packaging scuffed and stained. Inside, a crinkled, yellowed plastic bag holds orange square crackers. The cardboard looks brittle and aged, suggesting long-term storage, while the overall scene conveys staleness and neglect.

923. 20 year old Cheez-Its

May 04, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of consuming ~20 year old Cheez-Its.

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

May 04, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Cheez-its, Shelf life

ChatGPT image description: A clear plastic bag of frozen tilapia fillets floats in murky, dirty dishwater inside a cluttered sink. Greasy utensils, food residue, and bubbles surround it. In the background, a box of storage bags sits on the counter, emphasizing unsafe thawing conditions and cross-contamination risk.

922. Thawing Frozen Fish in a Plastic Bag in a Flithy Sink

May 01, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks thawing frozen fish in a plastic bag in a fithy sink.

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • Hannaford (supermarket) - Wikipedia
  • Cook It Frozen! Cooking Techniques | Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
  • The Do’s and Don’ts of Thawing Frozen Fish!
  • Preserving Your Catch & Purchase: A Guide to Freezing and Thawing Seafood at Home | NC State Extension Publications
May 01, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Fish, Sink, Thawing, Cross-contamination

ChatGPT image description: A freshly opened tub of cottage cheese sits on a wooden surface, its foil lid peeled back. The curds are surrounded by whey and dotted with numerous small carbon dioxide bubbles, giving a slightly effervescent appearance that suggests active fermentation or gas production within the dairy product.

921. Cottage Cheese With Bubbles In

April 29, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating cottage cheese that shows visible bubbles when opened.

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • What's Going On With Cottage Cheese?
  • US20120114794A1 - System and method for making organic cottage cheese - Google Patents
  • Production of soft unripened cheeses using acidic and salty coagulants: Investigation of technological and sensory characteristics - PMC
  • Bubbles, Bubbles Everywhere: What Your Bubbly Cottage Cheese is Trying to Tell You - Cheese Lover Heaven
  • Cottage Cheese - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
April 29, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Cottage cheese, Carbon dioxide, Bubbles

Image description: actual image from the TikTok video

920. Eating Easter Eggs Dyed in the Toilet Bowl

April 27, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating Easter eggs dyed in the toilet bowl

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • Woman Dyes Easter Eggs in Her Toilet and Attracts Angry Comments on Her Video
  • Staphylococcal Food Poisoning Associated With an Easter Egg Hunt | JAMA | JAMA Network
  • Easter eggs can be dyed and still eaten. Just follow these tips to make sure it’s safe | ABC22 & FOX44
April 27, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Eggs, Cross-contamination, Easter, Toilet

ChatGPT image description: A square image shows a bottle of ghost pepper pineapple hot sauce on a heavy metal band’s merch table. A handwritten $10 sign sits beside it. Guitar picks and dark-themed items surround the bottle, while three intense-looking band members loom in the background, slightly blurred, gesturing toward the sauce.

919. Homemade Unrefrigerated Hot Sauce From Heavy Metal Band at Their Merch Table

April 24, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from consuming homemade unrefrigerated hot sauce purchased from a heavy metal band at their merch table.

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • Occurrence of Salmonella in Ready-to-Eat Meat and Poultry Product Samples from U.S. Department of Agriculture–Regulated Producing Establishments. II. Salmonella in Ready-to-Eat Pork Barbecue Products, from 2005 to 2012 - ScienceDirect
  • Models for the Inactivation of Foodborne Pathogens in Salad Dressing from Challenge Studies - ScienceDirect
April 24, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Hot sauce, Heavy metal

ChatGPT image description: A bunch of purple grapes sits in the child seat of a grocery cart. In the background, a toddler with a visibly soiled diaper looks back with a guilty expression. The blurred store aisle contrasts with the sharply focused cart, highlighting a humorous but unsanitary situation.

918. Naked Fruit on the Seat of a Grocery Cart

April 22, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from placing a fresh fruit on the seat of a grocery cart without a bag.

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • Durham Bulls | MiLB.com
  • Bull Durham - Wikipedia
  • How the β€˜Glengarry Glen Ross’ β€œCoffee Is for Closers” Scene Got Made | Vanity Fair
  • Bulls So Far Raise Over $16,000 for United Way with Wash Your Horns Shirt – Capitol Broadcasting Company
  • NACS Food Safety Forum | NACS
  • Bacterial contamination of shopping carts and approaches to control
  • The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
  • Odds ratio - Wikipedia
April 22, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Cross-contamination, Grocery cart, Fruit

Actual screen capture from YouTube.

917. Making Butter While Running

April 20, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of making butter while running.

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • Making butter - YouTube
  • Dead Internet theory - Wikipedia
April 20, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Butter, Running, Time temperature control for safety food

ChatGPT image description: A hand holds a spoon scooping chunky tomato sauce from a pot. Nearby, a piece of raw meat rests partially submerged in the sauce. The spoon is positioned about an inch away, highlighting a potential cross-contamination risk in a kitchen setting.

916. Tasting the Sauce Before the Meat Is Cooked

April 17, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of tasting the sauce before the meat is cooked.

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • Why do thicker sauces simmer at lower temperatures? : r/AskCulinary
April 17, 2026 /Don Schaffner

ChatGPT image description: A sushi kitchen handwashing sink is shown as someone rinses their hands under running water. Nearby, an open box of disposable gloves sits too close, becoming visibly wet from splashing water. The scene highlights a cross-contamination risk, with food prep areas blurred in the background.

915. Letting Patrons Use the Handwash Sink in a Sushi Restaurant Kitchen

April 15, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks associated with letting patrons use the handwash sink in a sushi restaurant kitchen.

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • What's the Deal With Tuna Scrape? A closer look at the… | Marler Clark
  • Microbial Biogeography of Public Restroom Surfaces | PLOS One
  • Quantifying the Effect of Hand Wash Duration, Soap Use, Ground Beef Debris, and Drying Methods on the Removal of Enterobacter aerogenes on Hands - ScienceDirect
April 15, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Handwashing, Sushi, Cross-contamination

ChatGPT image description: A stainless steel toaster sits on a countertop with faint streaks and small droplets of raw chicken juice on its surface and slot edges. In the blurred background, a bowl of raw chicken rests at a distance. The image highlights subtle cross-contamination risk from minimal splashing.

914. Using Toaster After Splashing Raw Chicken Juice Inside if You Are Immunocompromised

April 13, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from using toaster after splashing raw chicken juice inside if you are immunocompromised.

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • Sleepless in Seattle - Wikipedia
  • Scoring of Toast and Factors Which Affect Its Quality 1 - Cathcart - 1940 - Journal of Food Science - Wiley Online Library
  • Toast (food) - Wikipedia
April 13, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Cross-contamination, Toaster, Immunocompromised

Image from the video discussed

913. Using the Top Paper Plate

April 10, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from using the top paper plate in a package of plates.

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • How Dirty Are Paper Plates? Science Explored | TikTok
  • Streaking (microbiology) - Wikipedia
April 10, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Cross-contamination, Paper plates

Don’s actual cover

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 πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • Trump Freaks Out After Tucker Carlson Implies He’s the Antichrist | The New Republic
  • Amazon.com: Galleyby Silicone Microwave Splatter Cover Dishwasher Safe - Pack of 2 Microwave Cover for food- Space Sving design 10.5 Inch BPA Free: Home & Kitchen
  • When it comes to balloons, size matters | Pat Beall – Sun Sentinel
  • Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series) - Wikipedia
  • Scrambled Eggs in a Mug Recipe
April 08, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Microwave, Cross-contamination, Washing

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 πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • The Recipe for Real Chicago Style Giardiniera
  • Giardia in Dogs: Symptoms & Treatment
  • Giardia: Infection, treatment and prevention | Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
  • Impact of Environmental Conditions on the Survival of Cryptosporidium and Giardia on Environmental Surfaces - PMC
  • M.C. Hammer - U Can't Touch This - YouTube
  • Amazon.com: TempPro TP30 Infrared Thermometer Gun
  • TempPro Temperature Gun and Meat Thermometer Digital with Super Long Probe
April 06, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Giardia, Dishwater

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 β€œBwyty 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 πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • Two-star Michelin restaurant in Wales handed one-star hygiene rating | Wales | The Guardian
  • Food Hygiene Rating Scheme | Food Standards Agency
  • Ynyshir restaurant & rooms | Rating Business Details | Food Hygiene Ratings
April 03, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Restaurant inspection, Michelin star, Hygiene
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