Risky or Not?

A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

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A square photo shows a crusty spoon resting in a cocoa powder container. The spoon is stained with dried hot chocolate mix and milk. Nearby, a mug of hot chocolate sits on a textured surface, capturing a cozy, slightly messy moment in making the drink.

754. Reusing a Hot Chocolate Milk Spoon

April 04, 2025 by Don Schaffner

The image shows a used spoon crusted with dried hot chocolate mix and milk, sitting inside a container of cocoa powder. It looks messy and realistic, as if it was just used to stir chocolate milk and then carelessly returned to the container. A nearby glass of chocolate milk completes the scene.

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

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from reusing a hot chocolate milk spoon.

  • Eat or Toss? Is it OK to eat?
  • Time to B. cereus about hot chocolate - PMC
  • Estimation of human dose of staphylococcal enterotoxin A from a large outbreak of staphylococcal food poisoning involving chocolate milk - ScienceDirect
  • Understanding and Controlling Microbiological Contamination of Beverage Dispensers in University Foodservice Operations
  • Profiling Bacillus cereus populations in a traditional style, hot-drinks vending machine and vended hot chocolate drink using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) techniques - ScienceDirect
April 04, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Milk, Chocolate, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus

405. Dark Chocolate

January 11, 2023 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of Cadmium and Lead in chocolate.

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

  • neil chazin on Twitter: "https://t.co/lgEJD35HHh @bugcounter @benjaminchapman is dark chocolate risky now?" / Twitter
  • Lead and Cadmium Could Be in Your Dark Chocolate - Consumer Reports
  • Don Schaffner 🦠 on Twitter: "Neal https://t.co/iVmAOlJr4v asks an excellent question, and there is a lot to unpack here. (1/10)" / Twitter
  • As You Sow is Promoting Corporate Accountability Through Shareholder Action
  • Cadmium in food - Scientific opinion of the Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain | EFSA
January 11, 2023 /Don Schaffner
Heavy metals, Chocolate, Cadmium, Lead
RoN71.png

71. Toilet Milky Way

November 23, 2020 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating toilet Milky Way.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼

Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼

  • Milky Way (chocolate bar) - Wikipedia)
  • Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - Wikipedia
  • Amazon.com: Dr. Seuss & Mr. Geisel: A Biography (9780306807367): Morgan, Judith, Morgan, Neil: Books
  • Dr. Seuss Books Can Be Racist, But We Still Keep Reading Them : Code Switch : NPR
November 23, 2020 /Don Schaffner
Toilet, Chocolate, Candy
RoN69.png

69. Licking a Chocolate Statue

November 18, 2020 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of licking a chocolate statue.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️

Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • Watch in horror as people lick and bite a chocolate Benedict Cumberbatch statue
  • Veronica Bryant (@NoroNerd) / Twitter
  • Vomiting Device Offers First Direct Evidence That Vomit Aerosolizes Norovirus-Like Particles | NC State News
November 18, 2020 /Don Schaffner
Chocolate, Ice Statues, Licking

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