Risky or Not?

A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

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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 πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • Whisky - Wikipedia
  • Irish coffee - Wikipedia
  • Chumbawamba - Tubthumping - YouTube
  • Wild Waters Soapery
  • Garlic Soap | Don't Eat It! Soap and Skin Care
  • Garlic-in-oil associated botulism: episode leads to product modification. | AJPH | Vol. 80 Issue 11
  • Garlic-in-oil associated botulism: episode leads to product modification.
  • Conservative prediction of time to Clostridium botulinum toxin formation for use with time-temperature indicators to ensure the safety of foods - PubMed
  • Black Garlic Infused Soap
  • Soap Poisoning | A Christmas Story | TBS - YouTube
  • Garlic soap | Soapmaking Forum - Soap & Candle Forums
March 11, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Garlic, Botulism, Water activity, Soap

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 πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • FDA Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance Chapter 13
  • Conservative prediction of time to Clostridium botulinum toxin formation for use with time-temperature indicators to ensure the safety of foods - PubMed
  • Parameters Determining Inoculated Pack Challenge Study
  • Why you should never use raw garlic for sous vide cooking
  • Sous Vide Short Ribs Recipe (48 hours to tenderness) - DadCooksDinner
  • Sous Vide Short Ribs (Boneless Beef) - Two Kooks In The Kitchen&
February 18, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Sous vide, Garlic, Botulism

DALLΒ·E image text: A cheerful Canadian-looking professor in a plaid flannel shirt and beanie gives a thumbs-up inside a refrigerator set at 37Β°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 Β°C (in Ben's refrigerator) for two weeks.

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • Garlic-in-oil associated botulism: episode leads to product modification. | AJPH | Vol. 80 Issue 11
  • Botulism from Chopped Garlic: Delayed Recognition of a Major Outbreak | Annals of Internal Medicine
  • Outgrowth and Toxin Production by Clostridium botulinum in Bottled Chopped Garlic - ScienceDirect
  • Conservative Prediction of Time to Clostridium botulinum Toxin Formation for Use with Time-Temperature Indicators To Ensure the Safety of Foods - ScienceDirect
  • Current Food Safety Issues of Home-prepared Vegetables and Herbs Stored in Oil
  • Garlic Confit Recipe
  • 78. Garlic Confit β€” Risky or Not?
  • The Use and Performance of Household Refrigerators: A Review - James - 2017 - Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety - Wiley Online Library
September 03, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Garlic, Botulism, Temperature

762. Garlic Yogurt Dip 10 Days Post Making, Just Prior to Surgery

April 23, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating garlic yogurt dip 10 days post making, just prior to surgery.

Dr. Don - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ
Professor Ben - not risky πŸ‘πŸΌ

  • Opinion on leveling kits ? : r/ToyotaTacoma
  • Garlic Aroma That Could Level Tacoma question : r/Zappa
  • BEST of Tacoma, WA Garlic Knots - Yelp
April 23, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Yogurt, Surgery, Garlic

Chopped onions, ginger, and garlic are neatly sun-dried on a clean wire rack over a wooden table in a modern suburban patio. The bright, soft sunlight highlights the fresh produce. The backdrop features a well-maintained backyard with a green lawn, stylish outdoor furniture, and a serene, upscale ambiance.

734. Sun Drying Onions, Ginger and Garlic for 4 Days

February 17, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of sun drying onions, ginger and garlic for 4 days.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • Study the effect of sun, oven and microwave drying on quality of onion slices - ScienceDirect
  • Effect of Drying Characteristics of Garlic
  • Salmonella survival during thermal dehydration of fresh garlic and storage of dehydrated garlic products - PubMed
  • Survival of common foodborne pathogens on dates, sundried tomatoes, and dried pluots at refrigerated and ambient temperatures - ScienceDirect
  • Survival or Growth of Inoculated Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella on Yellow Onions (Allium cepa)under Conditions Simulating Food Service and Consumer Handling and Storage - ScienceDirect


February 17, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Sun-drying, Onions, Garlic, Ginger, Salmonella, Time temperature control for safety food
garlic confit.png

78. Garlic Confit

December 09, 2020 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of storing homemade garlic confit in your refrigerator for months.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️

Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • Confit | Definition of Confit by Oxford Dictionary on Lexico.com also meaning of Confit
  • Confit - Wikipedia
  • Justin Modugno on Twitter: "@bugcounter risky or not? https://t.co/7ShznsGBOi" / Twitter
  • Garlic-in-oil associated botulism: episode leads to product modification. | AJPH | Vol. 80 Issue 11
  • Current Food Safety Issues of Home-prepared Vegetables and Herbs Stored in Oil
  • Home Storage Temperatures and Consumer Handling of Refrigerated Foods in Sweden | Journal of Food Protection | Allen Press
  • Garlic: Safe Methods to Store, Preserve, and Enjoy
December 09, 2020 /Don Schaffner
Garlic, Botulism, Oil
Honey-Fermented-Garlic-Yangs-Nourishing-Kitchen-4.jpg

46: Honey Fermented Garlic

September 24, 2020 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from honey fermented garlic.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • Honey Fermented Garlic: A Natural Remedy for Cold and Flu | Yang's Nourishing Kitchen
  • Current Food Safety Issues of Home-prepared Vegetables and Herbs Stored in Oil
  • Honey - Wikipedia
  • pH and Acids in Honey
  • Welcome to the Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program
September 24, 2020 /Don Schaffner
Honey, Garlic, Botulism

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