A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

962. Dane's Cadmium Cod Liver

August 03, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating cod liver with a Proposition 65 warning about cadmium.

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

Foods and Beverages - Proposition 65 Warnings Website
Cancer - YouTube
Lead, cadmium and mercury in canned and unprocessed tuna: six-years monitoring survey, comparison with previous studies and recommended tolerable limits - ScienceDirect
Cadmium and Cadmium Compounds - Proposition 65 Warnings Website
Low Levels of Heavy Metals Found in Norwegian Cod | The Fish Site
A baseline study of levels of mercury, arsenic, cadmium and lead in Northeast Arctic cod (Gadus morhua) from different parts of the Barents Sea - ScienceDirect
Erling Haaland - Wikipedia
Erling Haaland Donates Rare Viking Book to His Hometown Library
The story behind Erling Haaland and his taxidermy raccoon: ‘Lock the doors, let’s make this special’ - The Athletic

960. Drinking Water from a Source that Failed to Maintain Treatment for Removing Bacteria

July 29, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from drinking water from a source that failed to maintain treatment for removing bacteria.

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

Borough Public Notifications | Milltown, NJ

ChatGPT image description: Five bamboo toothbrushes stand in a rustic wooden holder on a weathered bathroom vanity. Four have colorful protective brush covers, while one exposed toothbrush is missing its cover. A pump soap dispenser, wood-framed mirror, and warm natural lighting complete the cozy, rustic setting.

959. Brushing Your Teeth With a Toothbrush That Was Not in a Toothbrush Protector

July 27, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from brushing your teeth with a toothbrush that was not in a toothbrush protector.

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

ChatGPT image description: The outline of Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas is formed entirely from crisp iceberg lettuce leaves, arranged on a dark textured background. The square, top-down composition highlights the state’s distinctive shape using layered pale-green lettuce pieces for a playful, food-inspired map.

958. Eating Lettuce in Michigan Right Now

July 24, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating lettuce in Michigan right now

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

ChatGPT image description: A person holds a labeled container of cooked mixed vegetables while removing it from a refrigerator. The vegetables appear thawed and ready for reheating, with bright colors and no visible ice crystals. Other refrigerated foods and fresh produce are visible on the surrounding shelves.

957. Reheating Refrigerated Cooked Frozen Vegetables

July 22, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from reheating refrigerated cooked frozen vegetables (when the package says not to).

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

This is an actual image of a water fountain, but it's probably not the one from the Louvre.

956. Drinking From a Bathroom Sink Water Fountain at the Louvre

July 20, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from drinking from a bathroom sink water fountain at the Louvre.

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

ChatGPT image description: A hand drops a white aspirin tablet into a glass pint jar packed with fresh raspberries on a kitchen counter. Nearby are an aspirin box, a blister pack of tablets, and a metal jar lid, suggesting a home remedy or food-preservation practice in a warm kitchen setting.

955. Aspirin Canning

July 17, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of aspirin canning.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

ChatGPT image description: A smiling man in a white lab coat labeled “Toxicologist” tends a wood-fired maple syrup evaporator in a snowy Canadian forest. Holding a beaker of finished syrup, he monitors the boiling sap while scientific glassware and a rustic sugar shack emphasize the blend of science and traditional maple syrup production.

954. Making Your Own Maple Syrup

July 15, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from making your own maple syrup.

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

ChatGPT image description: A restaurant worker in a black uniform and gloves leans over a large roast beef sub sandwich in a commercial kitchen. She is visibly spitting onto the sandwich, creating an intentionally unsanitary scene. Food-preparation ingredients and an employee handwashing sign are visible in the background.

953. Herpes Spit Sandwich

July 13, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating a sandwich contaminated with spit from someone with oral herpes.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

952. Smash Tacos

July 10, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating smash tacos

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

Actual image of the package of the product in question.

951. Eating Boiled Fresh Tortellini From a Package With a Few Mold Spots

July 08, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating boiled fresh tortellini from a package with a few mold spots.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

ChatGPT image description: An open takeout container of chicken tikka masala and rice sits beside a crowded hot tub. The curry appears diluted and splashed, with water droplets covering the container and table. Several children are visible in the background, suggesting the meal has been contaminated by hot-tub splash water.

950. Takeout Chicken Tikka Masala Splashed With Hot Tub Water

July 06, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating chicken tikka masala splashed with hot tub water.

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

ChatGPT image description: A visibly intoxicated man crouches in a driveway, lighting the fuse of an oversized fireworks mortar while holding a beer. Alarmed friends and family back away with raised hands and worried expressions. The nighttime suburban scene emphasizes unsafe behavior and the potential danger of mishandling fireworks.

949. Launching the "Good" Fireworks in Your Driveway

July 03, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from launching the "good" fireworks in your driveway.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

ChatGPT image description: A father sits at a kitchen table eating a deli meat sandwich while his smiling infant son reaches over and pulls a slice of meat from it. The candid family moment captures curiosity, playfulness, and shared mealtime interaction in a warm, homey setting.

948. Feeding Lunchmeat to a Baby

July 01, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from feeding lunchmeat to a baby.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

ChatGPT image description: A person stands at the entrance to a berry-picking field holding a basket, facing a prominent warning sign that reads, “Norovirus is spiking in this area.” The sunny farm setting and cheerful berry-picking signage contrast with the health warning, creating a clear food-safety dilemma.

947. Pick Your Own Berries During a Norovirus Spike in June 2026

June 29, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating pick your own berries in an area during a norovirus spike in June 2026.

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

ChatGPT image description: A plate of golden-brown French toast sits forgotten on a kitchen counter. Syrup has pooled around the slices, and the meal appears untouched. The ordinary home setting suggests it has been left at room temperature for several hours, creating a subtle food-safety concern.

946. Yesterday's French Toast That Sat Out for 3 Hours Before Refrigeration

June 26, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating French toast that was made yesterday and sat out for 3 hours before refrigeration.

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

945. Frozen Ham From 1992

June 24, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from him that's been in the freezer since 1992.

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

My dad bought this ham back in 1992. Its been in his freezer the whole time. He refuses to throw it out and says "its still good. Frozen meat doesnt go bad". : r/GrandmasPantry

944. Infinite Sichuan Pickles

June 22, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from a continuous homemade sichuan pickle fermenter.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼

Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

ChatGPT image description: Two restaurant employees stand in front of a commercial grill, looking embarrassed and slightly frazzled. Their uniforms are dusty and rumpled, hair is messy, and both wear uneasy expressions. Smoke rises from the grill behind them, suggesting a hectic kitchen mishap or an especially challenging shift.

943. Eating Food Cooked on a Restaurant Grill That Employees Have Used for Sex

June 19, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating food from a grill that had been previously used for sex.

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

Don't Get The Grilled Cheese