Risky or Not?

A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

  • Episodes
  • About
  • Contact us
  • Subscribe
  • Statistics
  • Merch
  • Search/Tags

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

  • SHensley: "@benjaminchapman.bsky.social @bugcounter.bsky.social Georgia is like 15% of the US poultry production. Eggs sunny side up from a chicken with bird flu #riskyornot? www.wjcl.com/article/geor..." β€” Bluesky
  • Full article: Heat inactivation of avian influenza and Newcastle disease viruses in egg products
  • The Impact of Holding Time on the Likelihood of Moving Internally Contaminated Eggs from a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Infected but Undetected Commercial Table-Egg Layer Flock | Avian Diseases
  • Full article: Avian influenza viruses in poultry products: a review
  • Evaluation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Egg Pasteurization Processes on the Inactivation of High-Pathogenicity Avian Influenza Virus and Velogenic Newcastle Disease Virus in Processed Egg Products - ScienceDirect
  • Detection of Influenza A Viruses in Eggs Laid by Infected Turkeys | Avian Diseases
  • Questions and Answers Regarding the Safety of Eggs During Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreaks | FDA
  • Interagency Risk Assessment for the Public Health Impact of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus in Poultry, Shell Eggs, and Egg Products (May 2010) | Food Safety and Inspection Service
  • Executive Summary, Interagency Risk Assessment for the Public Health Impact of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus in Poultry, Shell Eggs, and Egg Products - May 2010
  • Interagency Risk Assessment for the Public Health Impact of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus in Poultry, Shell Eggs, and Egg Products Conducted by FSIS in collaboration with FDA and APHIS
  • USDA Questions and Answers: Food Safety and Avian Influenza April 2015
  • Skibidi Toilet - Season 1 [FULL SCREEN] - YouTube
January 29, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Eggs, HPAI, Bird flu, Highly pathogenic avian influenza, Cooking

DALLΒ·E - An open mailbox with a pan of lasagna inside. The mailbox is located at the edge of a suburban street, with a neatly trimmed lawn and a few houses visible.

633. Mailbox Lasagne

June 26, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of making lasagna in your mailbox.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • Anybody remember laughter?
  • Merch β€” Risky or Not?
  • Kevin Budnik
  • Tennessee Weatherman Shares Recipe for "Mailbox Lasagna"
  • If I see a whole lasagna in the mailbox I'm taking it : r/USPS
  • Special Delivery: Mailbox Lasagna - BitterSweet
June 26, 2024 /Don Schaffner
Lasagna, Cooking

386. Pink Burger at 170 Β°F

November 28, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating a clearly pink burger that is cooked to 170 Β°F.

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

  • Persistent pinkness in ground beef patties - Meat Science
  • Fresh Ground Beef Color: A Consumer Guide
  • Assessment of Risk Communication about Undercooked Hamburgers by Restaurant Servers - PubMed
  • Dr. Melvin Hunt: Relationship of Meat Color to Cooked Meat Safety - YouTube
November 28, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Burger, Persistent pink, Cooking

383. Smoking a 27 Lb Turkey

November 21, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks that Ben will face this American thanksgiving when he smokes a 27 lb turkey named ham.

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

  • Staphylococcal Food Poisoning from Turkey at a Country Club Buffet -- New Mexico
  • Growth of Clostridium perfringens in cooked chili during cooling | Applied and Environmental Microbiology
  • Thermal Inactivation of Clostridium perfringens Enterotoxin in Buffer and in Chicken Gravy - 1982 - Journal of Food Science - Wiley Online Library
  • Growth and Survival of Clostridium Perfringens During Constantly Rising Temperatures - Willardsen- 1978 - Journal of Food Science - Wiley Online Library
  • ComBase
November 21, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Turkey, Smoked meat, Cooking

374. Eating Meat of a Properly Cooked (160 Β°F) Rabid Animal

October 31, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating meat of a properly cooked (160 Β°F) rabid animal

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

  • Furious Rabies after an Atypical Exposure | PLOS Medicine
  • What if? 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
  • Rabies virus in slaughtered dogs for meat consumption in Ghana: A potential risk for rabies transmission - PubMed
  • Rhabdovirus (Rabies Virus) document from AABB
  • Home - Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies
October 31, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Rabies, Thermal inactivation, Heating, Cooking

367. Fries Cooked in Cooking Oil With a Mouse

October 14, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of easting fries cooked in cooking oil with a mouse

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

  • TK on Twitter: "@bugcounter @benjaminchapman fries cooked in cooking oil after deep frying a mouse: risky or not? https://t.co/aBJBEsaMaa" / Twitter
  • 'It's a deep-fried rat': Man behind viral Whataburger mouse video speaks out
  • The Perfect Frying Oil Temp for Common Cooking Oils
October 14, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Cross-contamination, Cooking, Rodent

353. Cooking Chicken in a Hotel Coffeepot

September 12, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of trying to cook a chicken in a "hotel" coffeepot.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • Nick Dawson on Twitter: "@bugcounter @benjaminchapman from Reddit…chicken cooked in a hotel room coffee carafe 🀒https://t.co/t1Ad7LjgcO" / Twitter
  • Dave Harbarger on Twitter: "@bugcounter Apparently satire… but…here’s a link to the original poster on Twitter. https://t.co/z8kAeeszfL" / Twitter
  • The labeled this "Career advice" : insanepeoplefacebook
  • Alex Cohen on Twitter: "This is my best LinkedIn post to date https://t.co/lfyGEGHuo8" / Twitter
  • πŸ‘¨β€πŸ³πŸ’‹ : LinkedInLunatics
  • HUTTEN 9-bottle wine rack, solid wood - IKEA
  • How hot does a coffee maker hot plate get? | Espresso Expert
  • FSIS Cooking Guideline for Meat and Poultry Products (Revised Appendix A) | Food Safety and Inspection Service
September 12, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Cooking, Chicken, Hotel

297. Poultry Cooked to 150 Β°F (Plus Carryover)

May 04, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of cooking poultry to 150 Β°F plus carryover heating.

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

  • How to Check If Your Turkey's Cooked to the Right Temperature
  • USDA FSIS Appendix A

While searching for show art, Don came across the page linked below. This provides a more quantitative assessment, but does not change the overall conclusions.

  • The Science of Carryover Cooking: What Happens After You Cook |
May 04, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Cooking, Poultry, Temperature

275. Cooking While COVID-19 Positive

March 14, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of transmitting COVID-19 when cooking while COVID-19 positive

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

  • Gabrielle Schaffner on Twitter: "@bugcounter @benjaminchapman here’s a #riskyornot question: COVID + person, 5 days from + test, no symptoms…risky or not to cook for family members in isolation, without a mask on? (Cooking masked is really getting old but I’m willing!)" / Twitter
  • Potential for foodborne transmission Covid-19: Β» Meat Industry Association
  • Is It Safe to Cook for Other People During Coronavirus? | Food Network Healthy Eats: Recipes, Ideas, and Food News | Food Network
  • 270. Rice, Chicken, and Lo Mein Leftovers β€” Risky or Not?
  • Food Safety and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | CDC
March 14, 2022 /Don Schaffner
COVID-19, Cooking, Food preparation

251. Aaron's Black Eyed Peas

January 17, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating properly stored rehydrated black eye peas not boiled for 20 minutes.

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

  • Don Schaffner 🦠 on Twitter: "@PulsedAlmondboy @benjaminchapman I have so many questions. It seems that these are already cooked. Why does the label recommend washing? The directions say boil uncovered for 20 minutes, but then it also says don't overcook. Boiling for 20 minutes sure seems like overcooking to me." / Twitter
  • Black Eye Peas | Sunny Creek Farm
  • Traditional Southern New Year's Day Menu - A Southern Soul
January 17, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Black eyed peas, Cooking

233. 100 Hour Lasagna

December 06, 2021 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating lasagna that is made over a 100 hour time period.

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

  • Merch β€” Risky or Not?
  • White elephant - Wikipedia
  • Yankee Swap Rules –
  • 100-Hour Lasagna - YouTube
December 06, 2021 /Don Schaffner
Lasagna, Cooking, Extended preparation time
209.png

209. Cooking a Thawed Turkey Meant to Cooked From Frozen

October 11, 2021 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating a cooked turkey that's been thawed, when it was meant to be cooked from frozen.

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

October 11, 2021 /Don Schaffner
Turkey, Thawing, Cooking
169.png

169. Steeping Food in Seawater

July 09, 2021 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of cooking seafood by stepping in seawater.

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

  • β˜…metalβ˜…mattβ˜… on Twitter: Steeping your seafood in ocean water
  • $> whois mrhanlon
  • The Secret to Foolproof Seafood? Steep It, Don’t Cook It | Bon AppΓ©tit
  • Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures Chart | FoodSafety.gov
  • Close to Metal - Wikipedia
  • Information for Travelers | Cryptosporidium | Parasites | CDC
  • Protozoa: Cryptosporidium spp. - ScienceDirect
July 09, 2021 /Don Schaffner
Seafood, Seawater, Cooking
164.png

164. Using a Poultry Stone

June 28, 2021 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using a poultry stone to cook poultry.

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

  • Turkey Stone
  • Chris, Paranormal Attorney at Law on Twitter
June 28, 2021 /Don Schaffner
Poultry, Cooking, Poultry Stone
161.png

161. Cooler Cooked Corn

June 21, 2021 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of corn cooked by pouring boiling water into a plastic cooler.

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

  • People are cooking corn for a crowd in their coolers β€” but is it safe?
  • New York Campus | Institute of Culinary Education | Cooking School
  • Food Safety Talk 79: You’re Into Botulism Country (with Merlin Mann) β€” Food Safety Talk
  • Hannah (@okieokra) / Twitter
June 21, 2021 /Don Schaffner
Corn, Cooking, Plastic, Cooler
160.png

160. Properly Cooked Outbreak Meat

June 18, 2021 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating properly cooked meat linked to a foodborne disease outbreak

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

  • Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Ground Turkey | CDC
  • Investigation Details | Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Ground Turkey | CDC
  • Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures Chart | FoodSafety.gov
  • FSIS Salmonella Compliance Guidelines for Small and Very Small Meat and Poultry Establishments that Produce Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Products and Revised Appendix A | Food Safety and Inspection Service
  • USDA FSIS Appendix A
  • Frontiers | Genetic determinants of heat resistance in Escherichia coli | Microbiology
  • Some Like It Hot: Heat Resistance of Escherichia coli in Food
June 18, 2021 /Don Schaffner
Meat, Outbreak, Cooking
151.png

151. Burger Cooking Robot

May 28, 2021 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of cooking burgers with a robot.

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

  • Undercooked fast food burgers are toast with robot AI | ZDNet
  • McDonald’s USA: A Golden Arch of Supply Chain Food Safety
  • Clamshell Grill Model 38
  • Miso Robotics scores some cheddar for its burger-flipping robot | ZDNet
  • Food Establishments With Robotic Operations, Council I, 2016 Scribe Packet, Conference for Food Protection
May 28, 2021 /Don Schaffner
Robot, Cooking

Powered by Squarespace