Risky or Not?

A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

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ChatGPT image description: A clear plastic wine-style bottle filled with pale yellow eggnog stands against a white background. Its label reads “White Wine,” crudely crossed out with black marker, with “eggnog” handwritten underneath in red, giving the bottle a humorous, improvised appearance.

883. Eggnog in a Plastic Wine Bottle

January 30, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eggnog commercially sold in a plastic wine bottle.

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

  • 10 of the Best Finger Lakes Wineries You Must Visit
January 30, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Eggnog, Allergens, Egg, Milk, Mislabeling

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 👍🏼

  • Nerds Gummy Clusters: The internet is obsessed. That was entirely by design.
  • Color Additives | FDA
  • Small Entity Compliance Guide: Declaration by Name on the Label of All Foods and Cosmetic Products that Contain Cochineal Extract and Carmine | FDA
  • Color Additives Questions and Answers for Consumers | FDA
  • Color Additives History | FDA
  • The Truth About Red Food Dye Made from Bugs | Live Science
  • Carmine - Wikipedia
  • Crunchy Gummy Yummy - Nerds
  • Tiny, Tangy Crunchy Dual Flavoured NERDS Candy
  • Sour Patch Kids | Snackworks
  • Amazon.com : Maynards Wine Gums Bag 165g (Pack of 6) : Grocery & Gourmet Food
  • Doctor Who: Jelly Baby Supercut – 4th Doctor/Tom Baker Tribute (2020) - YouTube
  • Flavoring and Coloring Agents: Health Risks and Potential Problems - ScienceDirect
  • Cochineal dye-induced immediate allergy: Review of Japanese cases and proposed new diagnostic chart - ScienceDirect
  • Samhain - Wikipedia
October 30, 2024 /Don Schaffner
Candy, Color additives, Toxicology, Allergens, Carmine B, Cochineal

DALL·E - A hand pouring food out of a bag labeled 'beef', but the food coming out is clearly chicken. The hand is mid-pour, and the chicken pieces are detailed.

632. Eating a Food Recalled for Misbranding if You Are Not Allergic to Any of the Ingredients

June 24, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating a food recalled for misbranding if you are not allergic to any of the ingredients

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

  • Sage on X: "@bugcounter @benjaminchapman Just curious, assuming you’re not allergic to eggs, why does FSIS consider this so risky they need to be discarded? Is it because it was such a monumental lapse in QC that they’re hedging for other issues? https://t.co/SU0aOtSuiH https://t.co/LtUxW34tS0" / X
  • Conagra Brands, Inc., Recalls Frozen Beef Products Due to Misbranding and Undeclared Allergens | Food Safety and Inspection Service
  • Beef & Broccoli labels
  • Out of an Abundance of Caution definition | Cambridge English Dictionary
  • P.f. Chang's Frozen Orange Chicken Meal - 22oz : Target
June 24, 2024 /Don Schaffner
Allergens, Recalled food, Mislabeling

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