Risky or Not?

A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

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335. Using a Chainsaw to Cut a Turkey in Antarctica

August 01, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks using a chainsaw to cut a turkey in Antarctica.

Dr. Don - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ
Professor Ben - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ

  • Anthony Mattox on Twitter: "@bugcounter @benjaminchapman risky or not: using a chainsaw to break down and prepare a turkey in Antarctica. Starting at 13:30 https://t.co/1VvbZWvPcU" / Twitter
  • Season 5, Episode 23: These Space Rocks Have Seen It All | NASA
  • Stihl Platinum Bar Chain Oil MSDS
  • Can you really prepare food with a CHAINSAW?! | Food Wars: The Fifth Plate - YouTube
  • Preparing food with a chainsaw - YouTube
August 01, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Oil, Chainsaw, Turkey

334. Snacklebox

July 29, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using a snacklebox for your beach snacks.

Dr. Don - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ
Professor Ben - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ

  • The snacklebox, perfect for a day trip : lifehacks
  • Happy Carcoochie Board 2022!
July 29, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Snacks, Beach, Charcuterie

333. Pink Sauce

July 27, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of the new food condiment Pink Sauce sweeping TikTok.

Dr. Don - risky โ˜ฃ๏ธ
Professor Ben - risky โ˜ฃ๏ธ

  • Sovereign Citizens Movement | Southern Poverty Law Center
  • Viral 'Pink Sauce' Condiment On TikTok Raises Eyebrows As Buyers Sound The Alarm - Blavity News
  • Pitaya - Wikipedia
  • Food Science Babe (@foodsciencebabe) TikTok | Watch Food Science Babe's Newest TikTok Videos
  • Pink Floyd โ€“ Have a Cigar Lyrics | Genius Lyrics
July 27, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Low acid foods, Garlic in oil, Entrepreneur

332. Unwashed Produce From a Bush Shared With Deer

July 25, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating unwashed fresh produce from a bush where deer have been feeding.

Dr. Don - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ
Professor Ben - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ

  • Chronic wasting disease may spread via saliva | CIDRAP
  • Enteric Bacterial Pathogens with Zoonotic Potential Isolated from Farm-Raised Deer | Foodborne Pathogens and Disease
  • Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) | Prion Diseases | CDC
  • Double down Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
July 25, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Chronic wasting disease, Zoonotic pathogens, Fresh produce

331. Sucking the Air Out of a Bag of Raw Chicken

July 22, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of sucking the air out of a bag of raw chicken with your mouth.

Dr. Don - risky โ˜ฃ๏ธ
Professor Ben - risky โ˜ฃ๏ธ

  • Aerosol - Wikipedia
  • The straw method for vacuum sealing - General - Anova Community | Food Nerd Forum | Anova Culinary
  • Food Safety Talk 79: Youโ€™re Into Botulism Country (with Merlin Mann) โ€” Food Safety Talk
  • Quantification of Microbial Aerosol Generation during Standard Laboratory Procedures | Applied Biosafety
July 22, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Chicken, Salmonella, Camylobacter, Aerosols

330. TK's Flat Seltzer

July 20, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of drinking a can of seltzer that tasted flat and was slightly crushed after being in ice for an hour.

Dr. Don - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ
Professor Ben - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ

  • TK on Twitter: "@bugcounter @benjaminchapman this can was normal shapes before being submerged in ice for an hour. Can crushed in, no leaks. Upon opening, can completely flat tasting as if somehow the CO2 escaped. Any risk of botulism in carbonated water? I canโ€™t imagine, but the wife asked. https://t.co/yjLegc7fXw" / Twitter
  • FAQ: Water expansion on freezing
  • Sporicidal Properties of Chlorine Compounds: Applicability to Cooling Water for Canned Foods1,2 | Journal of Food Protection
  • Retort Cooling Water Bacteriological Load and Possible Mitigation Strategies for Microbial Buildup in Cooling Water
  • Kirkland Signature Sparkling Water, Variety Pack, 12 fl oz, 35 ct | Costco
  • The history of sparkling water - Borg & Overstrรถm
  • Carbonated Canning Line - YouTube
July 20, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Botulism, Seltzer, Leaky

329. Dr. Don's Sluggy Arugula

July 18, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating leafy greens on which a slug was found.

Dr. Don - risky โ˜ฃ๏ธ
Professor Ben - risky โ˜ฃ๏ธ

  • Angiostrongyliasis (Rat Lungworm) | Disease Outbreak Control Division
  • Rat Lungworm Frequently Asked Questions | The Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy
  • Cookโ€™s Market โ€“ Rutgers Gardens
  • The Occurrence of the Rat Lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, in Nonindigenous Snails in the Gulf of Mexico Region of the United States - PMC
  • Slugs: Potential Novel Vectors of Escherichia coli O157 | Applied and Environmental Microbiology
  • Invading slugs (Arion vulgaris) can be vectors for Listeria monocytogenes - Gismervik - 2015 - Journal of Applied Microbiology - Wiley Online Library
  • Occurrence of Salmonella, Vibro and E. coli in Edible Land Snail in Niger Delta, Nigeria
July 18, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Rat lungworm, Slugs, Snails, Fresh produce

328. Dr. Don's Soapy Pasta

July 15, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating pasta that fell in clean soapy water

Dr. Don - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ
Professor Ben - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ

  • Subchronic oral toxicity testing in rats with a liquid hand-dishwashing detergent containing anionic surfactants - PubMed
  • Pediatric Exposure to Laundry Detergent Pods | Pediatrics | American Academy of Pediatrics
  • Washing Food: Does it Promote Food Safety? | Food Safety and Inspection Service
  • Cleaning and Disinfectant Chemical Exposures and Temporal Associations with COVID-19 โ€” National Poison Data System, United States, January 1, 2020โ€“March 31, 2020 | MMWR
July 15, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Pasta, Soap, Toxicology

Sometimes it's hard to find just the right image, and then other times you find a crockpot with a handle.

327. Chicken Soup Unrefrigerated for More Than 6 Hours

July 13, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks on transporting a crock-pot of chicken soup via plane and automobile.

Dr. Don - risky โ˜ฃ๏ธ
Professor Ben - risky โ˜ฃ๏ธ

  • pittsburgh nashville flight time - Google Search1
  • ComBase

1: Google is really quite amazing sometimes.


July 13, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Chicken soup, Time temperature control for safety

326. Foods in Oil Stored for a Long Time

July 11, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of several foods (chili oil, herbs in oil and potato frying oils) stored for different times and temperatures.

Dr. Don - risky โ˜ฃ๏ธ
Professor Ben - risky โ˜ฃ๏ธ

  • Aunties Chili Oil 2016 - Google Photos
  • Current Food Safety Issues of Home-prepared Vegetables and Herbs Stored in Oil
  • 315. Continuing to Eat a Jar of Recalled Jif Peanutbutter โ€” Risky or Not?
  • Earth-616 - Wikipedia
  • Conservative Prediction of Time to Clostridium botulinum Toxin Formation for Use with Time-Temperature Indicators To Ensure the Safety of Foods | Journal of Food Protection
  • (1) โ˜…metalโ˜…mattโ˜… on Twitter: "@bugcounter @benjaminchapman I fried some potatoes in oil; afterward the oil still looked clean, so I let it cool and put it back in the bottle. Stored at room temp, is it #RiskyOrNot to continue to use this oil for other cooking?" / Twitter
  • Reconcilable Differences Store
July 11, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Oil, Clostridium botulinum, Chili, Herbs

325. Ellens Dropped Water Bottle Lid

July 08, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of drinking from a water bottle after the lid has been dropped on an airport carpet.

Dr. Don - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ
Professor Ben - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ

  • Longer Contact Times Increase Cross-Contamination of Enterobacter aerogenes from Surfaces to Food | Applied and Environmental Microbiology
  • 126th AFDO Annual Educational Conference โ€“ Association of Food and Drug Officials
  • Home - Raleigh-Durham International Airport
  • Eating food off the floor may be OK, scientist says - CNET
  • 401 unauthorized | Aston University press release can not be located
  • 298. Canadian Airport Toilet Vegetables โ€” Risky or Not?
July 08, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Cross-contamination, 5 second rule

324. Lemon Wedge in Your Drink

July 06, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of consuming a beverage with a lemon wedge.

Dr. Don - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ
Professor Ben - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ

  • Josh Trebach, MD on Twitter: "do u love getting a refreshing lemon slice in ur drink when ur out at a restaurant? ๐Ÿ‹๐Ÿฅค nearly 70% of restaurant lemon slices in one study were found to produce microbial growth (with 25 different microbial species being identified)" / Twitter
  • Josh Trebach, MD on Twitter: "possible culprits include contamination with fecal matter, raw meat, and in the case of yeast, oral/fecal/vaginal secretions contaminating fingertips of employees enjoy ur lemons!! ~follow me for more tips on how to ruin things people love~ https://t.co/4px8XANbhB" / Twitter
  • Don Schaffner ๐Ÿฆ  on Twitter: "PhD Food microbiologist here. Anyone want advice on medical toxicology or fixing stuff in the ER?" / Twitter
  • Bacteria on Lemon Slices - Dirty Lemon Wedges at Restaurants
  • Microbial Flora on Restaurant Beverage Lemon Slices
July 06, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Lemon, Citrus, Cross-contamination

OK, I know there's no pen, but it is American Independence Day. This is a shitty low resolution photo which kind of captures my patriotic spirit at the moment.

323. Stirring Your Coffee With a Hotel Pen

July 04, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of stirring your coffee with a hotel pen.

Dr. Don - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ
Professor Ben - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ

  • AeroPress Coffee Maker Official Store
  • Urban Dictionary:Mann's Assumption
  • Association of Food and Drug Officials โ€“ Many perspectives, one voice, since 1896.
  • Home | Dutch Bros
  • House Paint | Interior & Exterior Paint Colors | Dutch Boy
July 04, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Mann's Assumption, Hotel, Cross-contamination, Coffee

322. Chickpeas in a Leaky Microwaveable Pouch

July 01, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of consuming processed chickpeas in a leaky microwaveable pouch.

Dr. Don - risky โ˜ฃ๏ธ
Professor Ben - risky โ˜ฃ๏ธ

  • Amazon.com: Customer reviews: The Good Bean Heat & Eat Coconut Curry Chickpeas, 10 Ounce (Pack of 4), Yellow
  • Yellow Tadka Dal
  • Products โ€“ The Good Bean
  • Notes from the Field: Botulism Caused by Consumption of Commercially Produced Potato Soups Stored Improperly --- Ohio and Georgia, 2011
July 01, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Botulism, Low acid canned foods, Chickpeas

321. Promptly Refrigerated Baked Potato Wrapped in Foil

June 29, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating a cooked baked potato that has been wrapped in foil and promptly refrigerated.

Dr. Don - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ
Professor Ben - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ

  • Mary Kathrynn (@marydidyaknow) / Twitter
  • A large outbreak of botulism: the hazardous baked potato - PubMed
  • Production of Botulinum Toxin in Inoculated Pack Studies of Foil-Wrapped Baked Potatoes | Journal of Food Protection
  • Combined effect of water activity and pH on inhibition of toxin production by Clostridium botulinum in cooked, vacuum-packed potatoes | Applied and Environmental Microbiology
  • Roger Cook | LinkedIn
June 29, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Potato, Botulism

320. Nut Mylk

June 27, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of cashew "Nut Mylk" based on an instagram recipe.

Dr. Don - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ
Professor Ben - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ

  • Sean Pendleton on Twitter: "https://t.co/aYSAgjpeYE @benjaminchapman @bugcounter Raw cashews, hemps seeds, and water to make non-dairy milk and โ€œIโ€™m still alive to talk about itโ€ Risky or Not?" / Twitter
  • Erin Holt, Functional Medicineโ€™s Instagram profile post: โ€œ๐ŸŒŸEZ peasy๐ŸŒŸ No soaking, no strainingโฃ โฃ Listen, Iโ€™ve been eating โ€œthis wayโ€ for a solid 15 years so Iโ€™ve got some tricks up my sleeve.โฃ โฃโ€ฆโ€
  • 126th AFDO Annual Educational Conference โ€“ Association of Food and Drug Officials
  • Organic Nut Butters recalled for possible Listeria risk | Food Safety News
June 27, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Cashews, Nut milk

319. Five Hour Sun Pasta

June 24, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risk of eating sun pasta incubated for five hours.

Dr. Don - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ
Professor Ben - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ

  • brunchwithbabs on Instagram: SUN โ˜€๏ธ PASTA SAUCE ๐Ÿ youโ€™ll never make pasta in the summer the same again. Making this poolside at my daughters home! A family favorite โ˜€๏ธโ€ฆ
  • Veronica (@squirrelchomp) / Twitter
  • What's all the fuss about San Marzano Tomatoes?? Aren't they just another Tomato? Can you tell me a bit about em please.
June 24, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Salmonella, Time as a public health control, Pasta

318. Eating a Shoe

June 22, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risk of eating a shoe.

Dr. Don - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ
Professor Ben - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ

  • Matt Patches on Twitter: "A decade ago I tweeted that if Top Gun 2 happened I would eat a shoe. No one has let me forget this ... including the folks at Paramount, who are quite excited for me to be wrong. Saving this for after the actual shoe (although I may already be in a coma). Check back Thursday. https://t.co/lUAMhaA1BC" / Twitter
  • Matt Patches on Twitter: "I should post this here out of social media due diligence right https://t.co/6aN9vXZbAQ" / Twitter
  • Michel Lotito - Wikipedia
  • Checkerboard Slip-On
  • Food Safety Talk 78: Brogues are low risk โ€” Food Safety Talk
  • Just sous vided my shoes. I'm a genius! : sousvide
  • Fortunate Son | Do By Friday
June 22, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Pica, Shoes

317. Preparing Food in a Bitchen

June 20, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of preparing food in a bitchen (combination bathroom/kitchen).

Dr. Don - risky โ˜ฃ๏ธ
Professor Ben - risky โ˜ฃ๏ธ

  • Cholera has been eradicated everywhere but this house. #westvirginiacheck #zillowtastrophe #realestate
  • Norovirus Outbreak Traced to Reusable Grocery Bag
  • Lifting the lid on toilet plume aerosol: A literature review with suggestions for future research - PMC
  • Yes, Toilet Spray After You Flush Includes Poop Particles | SELF
June 20, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Fecal plume, Cross-contamination, Norovirus

316. Using Cups to Scoop Water Out of a Shared Bowl

June 17, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using cups to scoop water out of a shared bowl when it's really hot out.

Dr. Don๏ธ - not risky ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ
Professor Ben - risky โ˜ฃ๏ธ

  • chefcollinsevents on Twitter: "Helping someone do a event in city and we are using cups to scoop water out of this bowl to drink and we argued if #riskyornot @benjaminchapman @bugcounter (I think itโ€™s fine itโ€™s 90degrees out) https://t.co/3bVatuAtHn" / Twitter
  • Detection of Norovirus in Saliva Samples from Acute Gastroenteritis Cases and Asymptomatic Subjects: Association with Age and Higher Shedding in Stool - PMC
  • Norovirus Outbreaks Reported to NoroSTAT, Figure | CDC
  • Did You Just Eat That?: Two Scientists Explore Double-Dipping, the Five ... - Paul Dawson, Brian Sheldon - Google Books
June 17, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Water, Cross-contamination, Norovirus, Saliva, Double dipping
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