A short podcast about everyday risks from germs
A Canadian man in a red maple leaf cap slyly slips two plastic forks, tines down, into his jeans pocket inside a colorful Mexican chain restaurant. He looks around nervously, framed by a neon cactus sign and a bright menu board in the background.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of putting plastic forks in your pants pocket for later use.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
An open white cooler sits on the ground, filled with raw chicken pieces. A digital thermometer inserted into one piece reads 67°F. There’s no ice inside, and the cooler appears stained and weathered, suggesting it’s been sitting outdoors for a while during a camping trip.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating properly cooked chicken that warmed up to 67 °F after about 12 hours prior to cooking.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
A fried egg sizzles in a cast iron skillet filled with dark bacon or sausage grease. The yolk is vibrant and intact, surrounded by bubbly whites. In the background, a small jar of congealed grease sits on a beige cloth, suggesting long-term room temperature storage.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from cooking in bacon and/or sausage grease stored room temperature for up to 30 days.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
A hotel breakfast buffet features a large stainless steel vat filled with lumpy oatmeal. A sign above reads “COMMUNITY VAT OF OATMEAL MADE EARLIER THAT DAY.” Surrounding the vat are stacked plates, bagels in a wire rack, glass cups, and coffee dispensers, creating a utilitarian yet oddly inviting scene.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks eating cold-ish, prepared oatmeal from a community vat made earlier that day.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
Peeled, hard-boiled eggs are submerged in water inside a fixed, built-in compartment of a refrigerator. The clear container appears seamlessly integrated into the fridge’s molded interior. A wire shelf sits above, and the eggs are uniformly packed, creating a sterile, institutional feel typical of a chain hotel appliance.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating peeled, hardboiled eggs stored immersed in water in the fridge at a chain hotel.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
A filthy sponge sits in a shallow pool of murky water on a glass turntable inside a heavily soiled microwave. The sponge is stained with dark grime, and the microwave's interior is covered in splatters and residue, creating an overall impression of neglect and uncleanliness.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from microwaving your kitchen sponges.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
A filthy sponge sits in a shallow pool of murky water on a glass turntable inside a heavily soiled microwave. The sponge is stained with dark grime, and the microwave's interior is covered in splatters and residue, creating an overall impression of neglect and uncleanliness.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from microwaving your kitchen sponges.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
A rustic loaf of sourdough bread is studded with dried fruit and wrapped in a kraft paper label that reads: “FRUIT SOURDOUGH – HANDMADE IN MY HOME – FARMERS MARKET.” It sits on burlap, evoking a cozy, artisanal feel typical of a farmers market setting.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from sourdough bread with fruit inclusions at a farmer's market from a home processor in NY.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
A realistic rocking-horse mascot in a “ROCKERS” jersey sits on a stadium bench, eating popcorn. The costume features lifelike horse details and hoof-like hands. A sunny ballgame crowd fills the background, capturing a playful yet convincing scene of mascot fun during a baseball game.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating from a bag of popcorn that a sports team mascot has touched with their costumed hand,
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
A young man crouches on an astroturf field, licking a fake cupcake placed inside a chocolate-sprinkled inflatable donut. His eyes are closed, and he appears focused on the playful act. The scene is brightly lit, with the vibrant colors of the donut and cupcake contrasting the green synthetic grass.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from licking a fake cupcake that has been repeatedly tossed into an inflatable donut on an astroturf field.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
Actual image from Reddit post.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of consuming 5-year-old homemade vanilla extract as shown on reddit.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
A square image shows an opened glass jar of mayonnaise sitting on a wooden pantry shelf. The mayo appears discolored and crusty around the rim, suggesting spoilage. The dim lighting and aged wood add to the sense of neglect and food safety concern.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from a jar of mayonnaise that was opened and then accidentally left at room temperature for less than a week
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
A grimy, yellowed salad spinner sits on a worn wooden surface. Its translucent plastic walls are stained with residue and dirt, suggesting years of use without proper cleaning. The lid and handle are similarly discolored, giving the entire object a neglected, unhygienic appearance.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from never washing your salad spinner with soap and water.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
A man with wavy hair and a beard eats fried chicken at a wooden table in a repurposed restroom. Behind him are visible urinals and a toilet, set against retro green tile walls. The scene is warmly lit, blending quirky discomfort with a casual, oddly content dining atmosphere.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating fried chicken from a from a public restroom in a state park that has been converted into a restaurant.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
A bunch of ripe red grapes hangs from a vine twisted through a chain-link fence. Behind it, a foggy graveyard lies near the intersection of two busy highways. Blurred headlights and drifting smoke from traffic lend an eerie, polluted atmosphere to the otherwise quiet, somber scene.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from grapes grown at the intersection of two 4 lane highways.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
A large, square glass jar of chimichurri sits on a kitchen counter. The contents appear separated and discolored, with dark settling at the bottom and faded herbs suspended in oil. The lid is rusted and stained, suggesting the sauce has been sitting out far too long.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating homemade chimichurri left at room temperature for months.
Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️
A smiling man in a vibrant Hawaiian shirt sits at a wooden table, ready to eat a medium-rare steak. The steak is perfectly seared, pink in the center, and served with fries. Warm lighting and a simple background highlight the casual, relaxed dining moment.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating mechanically tenderize steak medium rare. You might want to listen to the end, no really all the way.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
And here are two articles that Don found later.
Image from zdf.de
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from homemade Dubai chocolate.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
A worried Canadian family—father with curly hair and beard, mother with long blonde hair, an older redheaded son, and a younger blonde son with a mullet—sits at a tropical restaurant table playing cards. A stern Gambling Police officer, badge and notebook in hand, writes a ticket as palm trees sway in the background.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from playing games at a table in a restaurant.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
Image from cartoon.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating canned beans from WWII in 2006 as shown on The Simpsons.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
