A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

ChatGPT image description: A rustic bar of garlic-themed soap sits on a wooden board, its creamy surface marbled with pale yellow swirls and topped with dried herbs. Garlic bulbs and loose cloves surround the soap alongside parsley, salt crystals, and peppercorns, giving the scene a culinary, farmhouse aesthetic reminiscent of artisanal soap displays.

900. Dried Garlic in Cold Process Soap

March 11, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of making garlic soap (eventually).

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

ChatGPT image description: A person lowers a vacuum-sealed bag of raw meat seasoned with fresh garlic, herbs, and spices into a stainless-steel sous vide water bath. The clear plastic shows garlic cloves and rosemary against the meat, while a digital immersion circulator maintains a precise low cooking temperature. (Note that ChatGPT picked the temperature with no input from me).

891. Using Fresh Garlic in Sous Vide Cooking

February 18, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using fresh garlic in sous vide cooking.

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

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 ☣️

DALL·E image text: A cheerful Canadian-looking professor in a plaid flannel shirt and beanie gives a thumbs-up inside a refrigerator set at 37°F. In the foreground, a clear container holds golden garlic confit, contrasting with the cold, clean interior. His proud expression highlights satisfaction with his perfectly chilled fridge.

819. Storing Garlic Confit in Ben's Refrigerator for Two Weeks

September 03, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of storing garlic confit at 37 °C (in Ben's refrigerator) for two weeks.

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

The actual photo of the soup in question

800. Linda's Vichyssoise

July 21, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from consuming a very old swollen can of soup linked to a company that caused a botulism outbreak in 1971.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - 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.

783. Homemade Chimichurri Left at Room Temperature for Months

June 11, 2025 by Don Schaffner

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 ☣️

777. Eating Deviled Eggs Made From Home-Canned, Split Open Hard-Boiled Eggs

May 28, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating deviled eggs made from home-canned, split open hard-boiled eggs,

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

DALL·E image text: A square photo of a glass jar, half-filled with syrupy peaches. Several peach slices are covered in thick, fuzzy mold, appearing green and white. The jar has a weathered metal lid, and the syrup inside is cloudy. The scene is softly lit against a plain, neutral background.

765. Big Open Spoiled Jar of Canned Peaches at Room Temperature

April 30, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben revisit episode 759, and talk about the risks of eating from big open spoiled jar of canned peaches at room temperature.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

DALL·E - A big block of cheddar cheese without any holes, sitting in a tightly sealed vacuum packager. The cheese looks slightly warm and sweaty...

644. Vacuum Packed Cheddar at Room Temperature for 24 hours

July 22, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from vacuum packaged cheddar cheese stored for 24 hours at room temperature.

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

639. Nate's Meat Diet Cast Iron Pan Grease

July 10, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of reusing grease after cooking in a cast iron pan.

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

DALL·E - A dusty jar of pickled quail eggs sits on a shelf in a dimly lit country store. The jar is old and unlabeled. Behind it, slightly out of focus, is another jar with a skull and crossbones.

610. Unrefrigerated Unlabeled Pickled Quail Eggs From a Country Store

May 03, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating unrefrigerated unlabeled pickled quail eggs from a country store.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

DALL·E Image of boiled Yukon gold potatoes in a clear glass bowl, teeming with colorful, cartoon-style bacteria.

590. Kejni's Extra-Crispy Roast Potato Recipe

March 18, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of leaving boiled chunks of Yukon gold potatoes at room temperature overnight.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

Here's the image of a swollen can of Surströmming, showcasing the high pressure inside due to the fermentation process. The can is set on a rustic wooden table, featuring a label with classic Swedish design elements.

588. Swollen Can of Surströmming

March 13, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating surströmming from a swollen can.

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

DALL·E - a slightly dented can of tunafish

552. Tuna From a Can Freshly Dented at Home

December 20, 2023 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating tuna from a can just dented at home.

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

DALL·E - a toddler stepping on a trash can pedal to open the trash can and sticking their head in the trash.

544. Toddler Getting Into Kitchen Trash

December 01, 2023 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks a toddler getting into kitchen trash.

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

527. Hawaiian Chili Pepper Water

October 23, 2023 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from Hawaiian chili pepper water.

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

DALL·E - Open half empty can of chicken noodle soup sitting on a countertop. Note that DALL·E totally invented the spoon, which was not part of the prompt.

498. Room Temperature Canned Chicken Noodle Soup

August 16, 2023 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of consuming canned chicken noodle soup without heating.

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

DALL·E - a little Baked Potato sitting in a white slow cooker on a countertop in a kitchen

492. Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes With No Water

August 02, 2023 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from making a baked potato in a slow cooker without added water.

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

DALL·E - a worried pig standing next to a grill with three potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil

491. Foil Wrapped Smoked Potatoes

July 31, 2023 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from cooking potatoes cooked in a smoker.

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

469. Marinated Feta in a Jar

June 09, 2023 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks consuming marinated feta (with garlic) in oil in a jar bought at a farmers market.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️