Risky or Not?

A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

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DALL·E image text: A packaged Teewurst sausage labeled “Cook to 165°F for regulatory purposes,” “Raw Pork,” and “Spread on a cracker and enjoy raw,” with a photo of the spread on a cracker. The sausage is vacuum-sealed in clear plastic with metal clips at each end.

814. Eating Dane's Raw Teewurst

August 22, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from consuming teewurst that is made from raw meat which says that it must be cooked to 165°F.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • Teawurst
  • Bain-marie - Wikipedia
  • Microbiological risk assessment of viruses in foods Part 1: Food attribution, analytical methods and indicators
  • Hepatitis E - Wikipedia
  • Hepatitis E
  • Hepatitis E Basics | Hepatitis E | CDC
  • Reimar Johne: Microbiology H-index & Awards - Academic Profile | Research.com
  • Teewurst | Local Sausage From Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Germany | TasteAtlas
  • A long-lasting outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium U323 associated with several pork products, Denmark, 2010 - PMC
  • A large outbreak of hemolytic uremic syndrome caused by an unusual sorbitol-fermenting strain of Escherichia coli O157:H- - PubMed
  • Behavior of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella Typhimurium in teewurst, a raw spreadable sausage - ScienceDirect
August 22, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Pork, Teewurst, Sausage, Labeling, Teawurst

A fried egg sizzles in a cast iron skillet filled with dark bacon or sausage grease. The yolk is vibrant and intact, surrounded by bubbly whites. In the background, a small jar of congealed grease sits on a beige cloth, suggesting long-term room temperature storage.

795. Cooking in Bacon and/or Sausage Grease Stored Room Temperature for Up to 30 Days

July 09, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from cooking in bacon and/or sausage grease stored room temperature for up to 30 days.

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

  • Blackshore (TV Series 2024– ) - IMDb
  • Current Food Safety Issues of Home-prepared Vegetables and Herbs Stored in Oil
  • Risky or Not?
  • Bacon Method
  • The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century - The New York Times
  • Apple Music 100 Best Albums
July 09, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Bacon, Sausage, Grease, Time temperature control for safety food

DALL·E - A sausage inside a clear plastic package laying next to a baseball bat on a wooden table. The sausage looks worn and dirty, as if it has been rolled around on the ground a lot.

619. Eating the Minnesota Twins Lucky Sausage

May 24, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating the Minnesota Twins lucky sausage in its current state.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • The Twins’ new home-run sausage is fueling their winning streak | MPR News
  • How the Minnesota Twins’ lucky summer sausage got made | MPR News
  • Original Tangy Summer Sausage - Cloverdale Foods
  • Rigdon | Texture of Fermented Summer Sausage With Differing pH, Endpoint Temperature, and High Pressure Processing Times | Meat and Muscle Biology
  • Dry and Semi-Dry Fermented and Direct Acidified Sausage Validation - Pork Information Gateway
May 24, 2024 /Don Schaffner
Baseball, Summer sausage, Sausage, Packaging

DALL·E - A pack of frozen sausage with the package really bulging a lot from gas formation

465. Kurtis's Puffy Sausage

May 31, 2023 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of consuming frozen sausage that had gas formation in the freezer.

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

  • Tarantino Mild Italian Sausage, 20 Links, 5 lbs | Costco
  • Why is my sausage package puffed up? – Eating Expired
  • (13) Jimmy Dean - Posts | Facebook
  • Ground beef package bloated/blown in freezer but normal when purchased? : r/Cooking
  • Woman explains why you should never eat food products from packet that's not flat - Mirror Online
May 31, 2023 /Don Schaffner
Spoilage, Gas formation, Sausage, Frozen

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