Risky or Not?

A short podcast about everyday risks from germs

  • Episodes
  • About
  • Contact us
  • Subscribe
  • Statistics
  • Merch
  • Search/Tags

A smiling man with curly hair, a beard, and glasses wears an orange turtleneck sweater. He holds a clear container filled with candied lemon peels. The background is a soft beige, giving the image a warm, cozy feel. The man appears cheerful and relaxed.

774. Room Temperature Candied Lemon Peels

May 21, 2025 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from storing candied lemon peels at room temperature.

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

  • Candied Lemon Peel Recipe
  • Water Activity (aw) in Foods | FDA
  • 400. Simple Syrup Stored at Room Temperature — Risky or Not?
  • Suntree Natural Foods Marketplace | Port Hope’s go-to for food that is local, health-conscious and delicious
  • Wine Spirits Beer | LCBO
May 21, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Water activity, Lemon, pH, Sugar

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 ☣️

  • 759. Big Open Jar of Canned Peaches at Room Temperature — Risky or Not?
  • Further Studies on Development of Clostridium Botulinum in Refrigerated Foods 1 - Tanner - 1940 - Journal of Food Science - Wiley Online Library
  • Further Studies on Development of Clostridium botulinum in Refrigerated Foods - abstract
  • Growth and Toxin Production by Clostridium botulinum in Sauteed Onions - ScienceDirect
  • Journal of Food Science - Wikipedia
April 30, 2025 /Don Schaffner
Botulism, Peaches, Spoilage, Fungus, pH

DALL·E - A plate of Jamaican dish Escovitch on a wooden table. The dish features fried fish topped with pickled vegetables such as carrots, and bell peppers.

653. New York Times Escovitch Fish Recipe at Room Temperature for 12 Hours

August 12, 2024 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating escovitch that has been held at room temperature for 12 hours.

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

  • Escovitch Fish Recipe
  • Ceviche - Wikipedia
  • Escovitch food poisoning - Google Scholar
  • Effect of Lime Juice on Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Salmonella enterica Inactivation during the Preparation of the Raw Fish Dish Ceviche - ScienceDirect
  • Microbiological safety and quality of ceviche, poke, and sushi dishes sold at retail outlets in Orange County, CA: Heliyon
  • Fried Jamaican Escovitch Fish | Meiko and The Dish
  • The Caribbean people have created a wealth of unique dishes based on native foods
  • BEAM Dashboard | CDC
  • Merch — Risky or Not?
August 12, 2024 /Don Schaffner
Fish, Time temperature control for safety food, Escovitch, pH

DALL·E - a glass container half full of syrup filled with sausage links

543. Eating Table Syrup From IHOP Containing Food Hidden by College Students

November 29, 2023 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating table syrup from IHOP containing food hidden by college students.

Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️

  • IHOP's New Syrup Containers
  • Amazon.com - 6 Oz. (Ounce) Glass Bulb Jar Syrup Dispenser, Sugar Dispenser, Retracting Spout, Dispensing Thumb-Lever, Pancake House Style (2) - Food Dispensers
November 29, 2023 /Don Schaffner
Syrup, Water activity, pH, Clostridium botulinum

DALL·E - a can of blueberries, with lots of foam coming out

542. Hissing Foaming Canned Blueberries

November 27, 2023 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating canned blueberries that hiss and foam on opening.

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

  • Krusteaz Mixes | Pancake, Waffle, Baking & Gluten Free Mixes
  • Krusteaz - Wikipedia
  • Clemson pH of common foods pdf
  • Spoilage of Canned Foods - Food Microbiology: Principles into Practice - Wiley Online Library
  • Krusty the Clown - Wikipedia


November 27, 2023 /Don Schaffner
Canning, Blueberries, pH

301. "Canning" Without "Cooking"

May 13, 2022 by Don Schaffner

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from some weird recipes from 1918.

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

  • Dave Arnold on Twitter: "@benjaminchapman @bugcounter No heat no acid canning? I know this is risky. My question is, is there any way this could possibly be safe? “Canning Without Cooking” from American Cookery (formerly Boston Cooking School Mag)June/July 1918. https://t.co/Z0dcl1Bqg1" / Twitter
  • Thermal Resistance of Spores from pH, Elevating Strains of Bacillus licheniformis - MONTVILLE - 1981 - Journal of Food Science - Wiley Online Library
  • Inherent Variability in the Efficacy of the USDA Raw‐Pack Process for Home‐Canned Tomatoes - MONTVILLE - 1983 - Journal of Food Science - Wiley Online Library
  • 293. Low Volume Lasagna at Olive Garden — Risky or Not?
May 13, 2022 /Don Schaffner
Canning, pH, Sugar, Water activity

Powered by Squarespace