A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

ChatGPT image description: A black crockpot sits unplugged on a countertop, its white power cord coiled beside it. Inside, several chicken breasts rest in chunky red salsa. The scene looks still and slightly concerning, suggesting the food has been left at room temperature all day without cooking. Don's comment: Interesting plug design. Might not have helped to plug this one in.

858. Crockpot Chicken at Room Temperature "All Day"

December 03, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of holding raw chicken at room temperature "all day" before cooking.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

Staphylococcosis in Poultry - Poultry - Merck Veterinary Manual
Evaluation of the Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus in Chicken Fillets and Its Bio-Control Using Different Seaweed Extracts - PMC

Image description: the actual turkey noodle soup in question.

857. Water Bathed Canned Turkey Noodle Soup

December 01, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of turkey noodle soup that's been boiling water bath canning for 2 hours.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

ChatGPT image description: A bright comic-style can of baby formula features thick outlines and bold lettering. The label warns “CONTAINS Clostridium botulinum spores — DO NOT FEED TO BABIES (CARTOON!).” The vivid colors and playful typography make it obvious that it’s a humorous, fictional message rather than a real product. 🍼🎨

856. Feeding Sealed Byheart Baby Formula to a Baby

November 28, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of feeding recalled sealed Byheart baby formula to a baby.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

ChatGPT image description: A whole roast turkey sits on a platter garnished with parsley and cranberries. Its skin is golden and crisp. A round metal probe thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the breast, showing a reading of 155°F, highlighting that it’s been pulled from the oven before final resting.
Don: I will always find ChatGPT's wacky attempts to draw thermometers to be funny.

855. Cooking Raw Turkey to 155 °F

November 26, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of cooking raw turkey to only 155 °F

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

Chef John declares that it's OK for him to touch his own meat.

854. Chef John's Perfect Prime Rib

November 24, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of making rare roast beef.

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

ChatGPT image description: A stern Swiss Guard in a traditional striped uniform carefully cleans his teeth with the toothpick from a Swiss Army knife. Painted in a classical oil style, he focuses intently, unaware of how absurdly mundane the task looks beside his ceremonial halberd and dignified Renaissance attire.

853. Using a Swiss Army Knife Toothpick

November 21, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from using a swiss army knife toothpick.

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

ChatGPT image description: A rustic Italian kitchen scene shows a weathered butcher’s hand carving a thin slice from a leg of prosciutto. Warm, golden light highlights the marbled meat against dark shadows. The heavy knife glides smoothly beneath the cured flesh, capturing the timeless craft of traditional charcuterie.

852. Prosciutto Di Parma at Room Temperature for Months

November 19, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating hand sliced Prosciutto ham stored at room temperature for months.

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

ChatGPT image description: A bulging red carton of ruby red grapefruit juice sits upright, its surface stretched and glossy. Foam and fizzy liquid spill from the crooked white cap and pool at the base. Colorful fruit graphics contrast with the messy leakage, hinting at fermentation inside the swollen container.

851. Eric's Fizzy Grapefuit Juice

November 17, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of consuming in date but fizzy grapefruit juice from a mechanically stressed container.

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

ChatGPT image description: An open dishwasher reveals a foil-wrapped portion of lasagna sitting awkwardly on the top rack. Its noodles and cheese appear soggy, as if washed instead of baked. Clean utensils sit neatly below, contrasting with the misplaced meal that looks confused about its life choices and current location.

850. Dishwasher Lasagna

November 14, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating dishwasher lasagna (aka lasagna alla lavastoviglie).

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

ChatGPT image description: A nervous person at their desk, clutching a tiny chewing-gum box like it contains the secrets of the universe, while Reddit menaces them from the laptop screen.
Don: this seems like the same worried guy we've seen before…

849. Eating a Hollywood Chewing-Gum Cardboard Box

November 12, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating a cardboard box from Hollywood chewing-gum.

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

ChatGPT image description: A beautifully roasted turkey rests in a pan, stuffed with golden bread cubes and vegetables. A meat thermometer inserted directly into the stuffing reads 165°F, signaling safe doneness. The turkey’s crispy skin glistens, and the scene looks ready for a festive meal.
Don: And once again ChatGPT really does not understand thermometers or numbers on a scale. It doesn't really understand what a turkey might look like either.

848. Cooking Stuffing Inside the Turkey

November 10, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of cooking stuffing inside the turkey.

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

ChatGPT image description: A serious hockey coach in a trench coat stands before a brick wall, opening the coat to reveal colorful mouthguards neatly attached inside. He grips a hockey stick, looking intense and slightly suspicious, echoing the classic “street vendor with stolen goods” pose but with sports gear instead of watches.

847. Using a "Found" Pocket Mouth Guard

November 07, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using a mouthguard from the coaches mouthguard pocket.

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

ChatGPT image description: A wooden bedside table holds a clear mouthguard and a small spray bottle labeled “Ethanol and Propanol Disinfectant.” Soft, warm bedroom lighting and a pillow in the background suggest a nighttime routine. The scene feels tidy, practical, and focused on dental care and hygiene before sleep.

846. Spraying Mouthguard With Ethanol and Propanol

November 05, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from spraying mouthguard with ethanol and propanol.

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

A cartoon chef-cat wearing a tall white hat stirs a bubbling pot on the stove, eyes wide in alarm. A smug brown mouse stands proudly on the spoon, unfazed by the chaos as tomatoes and sauce fly through the air in a lively, kitchen-mishap scene.

845. Family Dinner Into Which a Cat Dropped a Mouse

November 03, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating dinner into which a cat dropped a mouse.

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

ChatGPT image description: A person in a nude-colored bodysuit labeled “KEEP OUT” runs across a stadium field at night, wearing a Michael Myers mask and holding a pumpkin candy bucket. Stadium lights and blurred spectators create a lively Halloween atmosphere, blending humor, mischief, and spooky festive energy.

844. Eating Candy Given to You by a Streaker

October 31, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating candy given to you by a streaker.

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

Image from Reddit

843. Properly Cooked Isopod Fish Tongue Parasite

October 29, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating a properly cooked isopod fish tongue parasite.

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

Image from the internet.

842. Freezing Parboiled Potatoes in Large Masses

October 27, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks associated with freezing parboiled potatoes in bulk so they cool slowly.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

Figure from Don’s manuscript

841. Watered Down Hand Soap

October 24, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from using watered down hand soap.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

Influence of Soap Characteristics and Food Service Facility Type on the Degree of Bacterial Contamination of Open, Refillable Bulk Soaps - ScienceDirect

Image from Reddit

840. DIY French Burger Kit

October 22, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating food from a DIY french burger kit.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

ChatGPT image description: A slightly unappetizing pumpkin spice latte sits in a car cupholder. The drink’s foam has separated and darkened, leaving streaks of residue along the cup’s rim. A small, wrinkled pumpkin-shaped garnish rests on top, illuminated by natural light against the dark plastic interior, suggesting it’s been left for many hours.

839. 24 Hour Old Pumpkin Spice Latte

October 20, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from drinking a 24 hour old pumpkin spice latte.

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