Risky or Not?

A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

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Actual photo texted to Ben

764. Canned Pineapple From a Gray Container

April 28, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating canned pineapple from a container that's turned gray on the inside.

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

  • Periodic Tables Events | Duke University Science & Society
  • Food safety vs. food waste: Test your knowledge with this quiz - Washington Post
  • Does the inside of this aluminium [pineapple] can look normal? Or is it some weird toxic oxidation thing and i shouldn‘t eat the pineapples : r/foodhacks
  • Are pineapple steel cans supposed to look like that on the inside? It looks like it's dissolving into the pineapple juice.. Isn't the lining of the can supposed to prevent that? : r/chemistry
  • Let's look inside the can | Live Well. Eat Well. | Illinois Extension | UIUC
  • Caitlin Mellendorf | Serving DeWitt, Macon and Piatt Counties | Illinois Extension | UIUC
  • After opening canned foods, is it safe to refrigerate the unused food in the can?
  • The Real Reason You Shouldn't Store an Open Can of Food in the Fridge | Epicurious
  • Corrosive Effect of Pineapple Juice on the Fatigue and Hardness Properties of Austempered Ductile Iron
April 28, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Pineapple, Canning, Oxidation

DALL·E - a can of blueberries, with lots of foam coming out

542. Hissing Foaming Canned Blueberries

November 27, 2023 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating canned blueberries that hiss and foam on opening.

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

  • Krusteaz Mixes | Pancake, Waffle, Baking & Gluten Free Mixes
  • Krusteaz - Wikipedia
  • Clemson pH of common foods pdf
  • Spoilage of Canned Foods - Food Microbiology: Principles into Practice - Wiley Online Library
  • Krusty the Clown - Wikipedia


November 27, 2023 /Don Schaffner
Canning, Blueberries, pH
DALL·E 2022-12-17 17.02.18 - cans of water in a boiling water bath canner

394. Home Canning Water

December 16, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using a boiling water bath canning method for canning water for long-term storage.

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

  • Risky or Not Water Episodes
  • Fact check: Plastic water bottles leach chemicals, but not dioxins
  • NCHFP Factsheets on Home Canning Water
  • Quantifying the Influence of Relative Humidity, Temperature, and Diluent on the Survival and Growth of Enterobacter aerogenes | Journal of Food Protection
December 16, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Water, Canning

311. River Pickles

June 06, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of canned pickles found in a river.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • I found a bunch of jars of pickles in a river and took one home, they were still sealed : Weird
  • Food Safety Talk 255: Crunchy Granola Hippie Town — Food Safety Talk
  • National Center for Home Food Preservation | How Do I? Store
  • The Stranger (album) - Wikipedia)
June 06, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Pickles, Canning

301. "Canning" Without "Cooking"

May 13, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from some weird recipes from 1918.

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

  • Dave Arnold on Twitter: "@benjaminchapman @bugcounter No heat no acid canning? I know this is risky. My question is, is there any way this could possibly be safe? “Canning Without Cooking” from American Cookery (formerly Boston Cooking School Mag)June/July 1918. https://t.co/Z0dcl1Bqg1" / Twitter
  • Thermal Resistance of Spores from pH, Elevating Strains of Bacillus licheniformis - MONTVILLE - 1981 - Journal of Food Science - Wiley Online Library
  • Inherent Variability in the Efficacy of the USDA Raw‐Pack Process for Home‐Canned Tomatoes - MONTVILLE - 1983 - Journal of Food Science - Wiley Online Library
  • 293. Low Volume Lasagna at Olive Garden — Risky or Not?
May 13, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Canning, pH, Sugar, Water activity

253. Scott's Ambiguously Sealed Mincemeat

January 23, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from a jar of ambiguously sealed mincemeat send from listener Scott.

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

  • Scott Lougheed on Twitter: "Opened up a jar of last year’s mincemeat. Ambiguous seal. No signs of spoilage. Ate a teaspoon: Tastes good. 36hrs passed and no sign of botulism (or other illness). Risky or not @benjaminchapman and @bugcounter?" / Twitter
  • Recipes | Mary Berry
  • Mincemeat - Wikipedia
  • National Center for Home Food Preservation | How Do I? Can Fruits
  • Suet - Wikipedia
  • Christmas Brandied Mince Tarts | King Arthur Baking
  • Internet Goes Wild After Photo of Sqirl’s Moldy Jam Goes Viral - Eater LA
January 23, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Micemeat, Water activity, Canning

150. Canned BLT Sandwich

May 28, 2021 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of canning a BLT sandwich.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • Mike Batz on Twitter: "Canned BLT sandwich...""
  • Utah State: Canning Bread or Cake is Unsafe!
  • Growth of Clostridium sporogenes PA 3679 in Home-Style Canned Quick Breads | Journal of Food Protection
  • Wang Chung - Everybody Have Fun Tonight (Official Video) - YouTube
May 28, 2021 /Don Schaffner
Canning
Inversion-Canning-2.png

93. Using The Inversion Method for Jams and Jellies

January 13, 2021 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using inversion method for jams and jellies.

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

  • Ben Stanfield on Twitter: Jam canning advice from one of the year’s top cookbooks and a celebrated chef. Risky or not?
  • Baking at the 20th Century Cafe: Iconic European Desserts from Linzer Torte to Honey Cake: Polzine, Michelle: 9781579658984: Amazon.com: Books
  • National Center for Home Food Preservation | How Do I? Jam and Jelly
  • Judging Home Preserved Foods
  • Inversion Canning - Healthy Canning
  • Food Safety Talk 217: Fruit Forward — Food Safety Talk
  • Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving
  • Food Preservation Competition
January 13, 2021 /Don Schaffner
Jam, Jelly, Canning

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