A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

DALL·E - The image depicts a Halloween candy with a gummy center and crunchy, colorful bits surrounding the outside, designed with vibrant hues of orange, green, and purple. A small cochineal insect (scientifically named *Dactylopius coccus*), which is used in the natural production of carmine dye, is positioned near the candy, observing it. Above the insect is a thought bubble containing the words "Happy Samhain." The background of the image is dark and spooky, featuring subtle Halloween elements like faint shadows of pumpkins or bats, adding a festive and mysterious atmosphere.
The overall theme blends Halloween imagery with Samhain, a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. The candy, reminiscent of popular seasonal treats, is central to the composition, while the insect adds an unusual yet natural element tied to the historical use of cochineal as a red food dye.

687. Nerds Gummy Clusters

October 30, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating Nerds Gummy Clusters (when you are not allergic to Carmine B).

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

DALL·E - A close-up image of an egg being fried on a very hot Astroturf field under a bright, scorching sun. The egg white is sizzling and bubbling, with the yolk slightly runny, and the green synthetic grass of the Astroturf contrasts with the golden egg. The grass is visibly affected by the heat, with some slight melting or warping where the egg is resting. Heatwaves rise from the scene, enhancing the sense of extreme temperature.

686. Eating an Egg Fried on Astroturf

October 28, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating an egg fried on Astroturf.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

DALL·E - The image depicts a large maple syrup bottle standing on a kitchen countertop with its top off. The bottle takes up a significant portion of the frame, emphasizing its size. A smooth stream of amber-colored maple syrup is pouring into the bottle from a source outside the top of the frame, creating ripples as it fills the bottle. The background shows a cozy kitchen setting with warm, soft lighting, and subtle details like utensils, though the main focus remains on the bottle and the flowing syrup. The atmosphere feels homely and inviting.

685. Pouring Unused Maple Syrup Back Into the Container

October 25, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of pouring unused maple syrup back into the container.

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

DALL·E - This image depicts a whimsical scene featuring a large treehouse nestled among tall trees in a Canadian forest. The treehouse is built with rustic wooden planks and blends into the natural surroundings. Inside the treehouse, there is a giant waffle, golden brown with textured square pockets, occupying much of the interior space. The waffle gives the treehouse a playful, imaginative look.
Around the treehouse, lush green trees typical of Canada stretch up into the sky, with soft sunlight filtering through the branches. The atmosphere is serene and peaceful, evoking a sense of nature and adventure. The combination of the rustic treehouse and the oversized waffle creates a fantastical, fun visual.

684. Recalled Treehouse Waffles

October 23, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from waffles currently recalled for Listeria monocytogenes.

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

DALL·E - A large, open refrigerator filled with pumpkin spice flavored coffee creamers. Some of the coffee creamers are slightly oozing a small amount of orange liquid.

683. Pastor Pinkston's Putrid Pumpkin Products

October 21, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks posed by clumpy pumpkin spice creamer stored in an overfull church refrigerator.

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

DALL·E - A fish tank-shaped glass jar filled with a variety of food items, such as fruits, snacks, and colorful treats. On the jar, there is a label that reads SIMBA.

682. Storing Food in a Glass Jar That Used to Be a Fish Tank

October 18, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from storing food in a glass jar that used to be a fish tank.

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

DALL·E - An idyllic setting in Los Angeles with a store named 'Cookie Dough Dreams'. The storefront has a warm, inviting atmosphere, painted in soft pastels.

681. Cookie Dough Dreams Raw Cookie Dough

October 16, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating raw cookie dough from Cookie Dough Dreams in LA.

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

680. Drinking Single Barrel Bourbon With a Moldy Cork

October 14, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from drinking single barrel bourbon with a cork that looks moldy.

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

679. Ben's Moldy Strawberry Jam

October 11, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from strawberry jam with black and white colored mold.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

DALL·E - An elderly person with gray hair, wearing glasses, sitting alone at a kitchen table. They are eating a bowl of macaroni and cheese.

678. Immunocompromised Person Eating Mac and Cheese Left at Room Temperature for Two Hours

October 09, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks faced by an immunocompromised person eating mac and cheese left at room temperature for two hours.

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

DALL·E - An open carton of eggs with several uncracked eggs neatly arranged. One of the eggs in the middle has a small, noticeable crack.

677. Eating a Properly Cooked Egg With a Crack in It

October 07, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating a properly cooked egg with a crack in it.

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

DALL·E - A detailed image of a glass of beer with an inverted beer bottle standing in the glass. The glass is frosty, with golden beer filling it to the brim.

676. Drinking Beer When the Bottle Has Been in Contact With the Beer

October 04, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks drinking beer from glasses when the bottle has been inside the glass and in contact with the beer.

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

DALL·E - A man doing pushups in a busy public gym, with other people working out in the background on various machines and free weights. The man is in a plank with a chicken on his back.

675. Working Out in a Gym With a Live Chicken

October 02, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from working out in a gym with a live chicken.

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

DALL·E - An open can of soup placed on a concrete public staircase in summer. The scene shows sunlight casting shadows, with a few flies buzzing around the can.

674. Open Can of Soup Outdoors in the Summer for More Than a Day

September 30, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of food poisoning from an open can of soup on public stairway in the midwest summer for more than a day.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

673. Ramen

September 27, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from ramen based on a TikTok warning.

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

DALL·E - A person furiously chopping a carrot on a plastic cutting board. The person is in an intense stance with exaggerated chopping motions, and pieces of the cutting board are flying.

672. Plastic Cutting Boards Because of Microplastics

September 25, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from microplastics from cutting boards.

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

DALL·E - An elderly man with wrinkles and white hair, dressed in full kayaking gear including a life jacket, helmet, and paddling gloves, jumping enthusiastically under a ceiling fan.

671. Older Man Kayaking With Fresh Wounds in Water Which Regularly Fails Coliform Tests

September 23, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of kayaking with fresh wounds in water which regularly fails coliform tests while elderly.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

DALL·E - A close-up view of an open grill with a piece of salmon resting on a wooden plank. The wooden plank is visibly aged and covered in patches of green mold

670. Cooking Salmon on Moldy Cedar Planks

September 20, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating salmon cooked on moldy cedar planks.

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

DALL·E - An automatic dishwasher with the door open, filled to capacity with plates, cups, and silverware. All the dishes and silverware are densely packed and moldy.

669. Items Washed Twice in a Festered Moldy Dishwasher

September 18, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating off plates covered in mold after they were washed twice in an automatic dishwasher on the sanitize cycle.

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

DALL·E - A detailed image of an open microwave oven with food splatters all over the interior. The food splatter is visibly unclean, with bits of food and sauce.

668. Using a Microwave Because They Are Contaminated With Bacteria

September 16, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of cooking foods in microwaves because of cross-contamination from the cavity.

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