Risky or Not?

A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

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ChatGPT image description: A pregnant woman stands in a bright home kitchen beside a glass dish of marinating raw chicken. Thoughtfully, she raises a marinade-covered finger toward her mouth while sunlight streams through the window, highlighting the cozy cooking scene and subtle food safety tension.

938. Licking the Chicken Marinade Spoon, While Pregnant

June 08, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from licking the chicken marinade spoon, while pregnant.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • A review of Campylobacter infection during pregnancy: a focus on C. jejuni - ScienceDirect
  • Investigating the influence of organic acid marinades, storage temperature and time on the survival/inactivation interface of Salmonella on chicken breast fillets - ScienceDirect
  • Campylobacter jejuni infection during pregnancy: long-term consequences of associated bacteremia, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and reactive arthritist - PubMed
938. Licking the Chicken Marinade Spoon, While Pregnant
Risky or Not
Download
June 08, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Marinade, Pregnant, Immunocompromised, pH

ChatGPT image description: A stainless steel toaster sits on a countertop with faint streaks and small droplets of raw chicken juice on its surface and slot edges. In the blurred background, a bowl of raw chicken rests at a distance. The image highlights subtle cross-contamination risk from minimal splashing.

914. Using Toaster After Splashing Raw Chicken Juice Inside if You Are Immunocompromised

April 13, 2026 by Don Schaffner

Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from using toaster after splashing raw chicken juice inside if you are immunocompromised.

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

  • Sleepless in Seattle - Wikipedia
  • Scoring of Toast and Factors Which Affect Its Quality 1 - Cathcart - 1940 - Journal of Food Science - Wiley Online Library
  • Toast (food) - Wikipedia
914. Using Toaster After Splashing Raw Chicken Juice Inside if You Are Immunocompromised
Risky or Not
Download
April 13, 2026 /Don Schaffner
Cross-contamination, Toaster, Immunocompromised

ChatGPT image description: A pregnant woman grimaces while attempting to drink from a large jug labeled “Unpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar.” Her eyes are squeezed shut and her mouth puckers from the sour taste. She holds the container hesitantly, standing against a plain background in a mauve maternity shirt, clearly regretting the sip.

860. Unpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar for Pregnant or Immunocompromised People

December 08, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar for pregnant or immunocompromised people.

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

  • The Different Types of Apple Cider Vinegar | OSU Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Apple Cider Vinegar in Pregnancy: Safety, Benefits, and Uses
  • Determination of 5-log reduction times for Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica, or Listeria monocytogenes in acidified foods with pH 3.5 or 3.8
860. Unpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar for Pregnant or Immunocompromised People
Risky or Not
Download
December 08, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Unpasteurized apple cider vinegar, Vinegar, Immunocompromised, Pregnant

DALL·E - An elderly person with gray hair, wearing glasses, sitting alone at a kitchen table. They are eating a bowl of macaroni and cheese.

678. Immunocompromised Person Eating Mac and Cheese Left at Room Temperature for Two Hours

October 09, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks faced by an immunocompromised person eating mac and cheese left at room temperature for two hours.

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

  • Ed Koch - Wikipedia
  • In Eric Adams Case, Prosecutors Warn of Additional Charges for Him and Defendants - The New York Times
  • Staphylococcus aureus Infection - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf
  • Bacillus Cereus - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf
  • time a spublic health control - Google Search
  • Cooling Uncovered Foods at a Depth of ∼5.1 cm (2 in.) or Less Poses Little Risk of Pathogen Growth - ScienceDirect
678. Immunocompromised Person Eating Mac and Cheese Left at Room Temperature for Two Hours
Risky or Not
Download
October 09, 2024 /Don Schaffner
Immunocompromised, Pasta, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus
germs-on-smartphones-cover.png

23: iPhones and the Immunocompromised

August 03, 2020 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from the immunocompromised handling devices like iPhones.

Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼

Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • (2) Todd Vaziri on Twitter: “@bugcounter I have a friend with a kid who is in chemo, and is wondering what is the best way to sanitize iPhones and electronics? My initial thought is the glass/metal of a bare iPhone is relatively easy to clean… but the plastic/rubber cases are much harder.” / Twitter

  • Your Cell Phone Is 10 Times Dirtier Than a Toilet Seat | Time

  • Why your cellphone has more germs than a toilet | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences | The University of Arizona

  • Why your cellphone has more germs than a toilet - TODAY Health

23: iPhones and the Immunocompromised
Risky or Not?
Download
August 03, 2020 /Don Schaffner
Phones, Immunocompromised

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