Don Schaffner and Ben Chapman

Risky or Not?

Science EN ↓ 994 episodes

Risky or Not is a short podcast from Professor Ben Chapman from North Carolina State University, and Dr. Don Schaffner from Rutgers University. Dr. Don and Professor Chapman promise to do their best not to waffle, dither, dissemble or equivocate, and to give straight up answers about whether something is risky or not.

Be sure to visit the podcast's website and support the creator: riskyornot.co

Author

Don Schaffner and Ben Chapman

Category

Science

Podcast website

riskyornot.co

Latest episode

Oct 19, 2026

Where to listen?

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Episodes

269. Cat Licked Cake 28.02.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating cake licked by a cat. Dr. Don - risky ☣️ Professor Ben - risky ☣️ Goudy Bold Italic on Twitter: "@benjaminchapman @bugcounter @firstbornspawn Risky or not: cake that a cat has been licking. Not frosted, plain top with occasional crumb topping. (Extra credit: gross or not?) Just happened, is it rude to not want to take home leftover cake afte...

268. Old Outbreak Peanut Butter 25.02.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating peanut butter linked to a food poisoning outbreak more than a decade ago. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 Robbie Trencheny on Twitter: "@westernunion2k @bugcounter" / Twitter ConAgra Agrees to Pay $11.2 Million for Salmonella Outbreak | Food Safety News December 13, 2016: Conagra Subsidiary Sentenced in Connection wit...

267. Single Mouse Turd Near the Guacamole Ingredients 23.02.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from guacamole made from ingredients with a mouse turd nearby. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 Mr. Show - Pre-Taped Call-in Show - YouTube U.S. suspends Mexican avocado imports after threat to inspector TK on Twitter: "@bugcounter @benjaminchapman Wife had a three tier bowl in kitchen. Garlic on top tier, then onions next, then...

266. Linda's Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes 21.02.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of a Molten Chocolate Lava Cake recipe suggested by front of the show Dr. Linda Harris Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 The Best and The Easiest Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes - Averie Cooks Presentation: Mug Cakes Baked in Microwave Ovens: The Influence of Baking Time and Internal Temperature on Risk of Foodborne Illness (IAFP 201...

265. Sewer Shrimp 18.02.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating shrimp harvested from a sewer and washed in a bathroom. Dr. Don - risky ☣️ Professor Ben - risky ☣️ Billy Bostickson 🏴👁&👁 🆓 on Twitter: "4. More Sewer Shrimp Photos "A series of disturbing photos have exposed the antics of shrimp sellers in Wuhan who were seen scavenging shrimp from the sewers to sell to the unsuspecting public" https://...

264. Kapchunka 16.02.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of Kapchunka. Dr. Don - risky ☣️ Professor Ben - risky ☣️ Russ & Daughters on Instagram: "It's our bagel corner now, but do you know what used to hang in its place? KAPCHUNKAS. Yes, this #tbt we're evoking the old-school…" Kamchatka Peninsula - Wikipedia Botulism Associated with Commercially Distributed Kapchunka – New York City International Outbreak...

263. Eating Foods Labeled as "Made in a Facility" With a Food To Which You're Allergic 14.02.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating foods labeled as "made in a facility" with a food to which you are allergic. Dr. Don - risky ☣️ Professor Ben - risky ☣️ Food Allergy Research & Education Food Allergy Research and Resource Program | Nebraska Which Allergens Are in Your Food? You Can't Always Tell From the Labels - The New York Times Food Allergen Labeling and Purchasing Hab...

262. Justin's Leftover Steak, Cooked on the Use-By Date and Eaten Two Days Later 11.02.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of steak, cooked on the use-by date and eaten two days later. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 Justin on Twitter: "@bugcounter @benjaminchapman #RiskyOrNot eating leftover pre-cut steak (i.e., stir fry steak) that was cooked on the "use by" date 2 days after the "use by" date. (In my mind, the game clock reset when I cooked it,...

261. Sam's Plowed Snow and Ice 09.02.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks faced by Ben's son Sam when Sam eats plowed up snow and ice at his school. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 Amazon.com : Trideer Inflated Wobble Cushion - Wiggle Seat for Sensory Kids(Multiple Colors), Core Balance Disc (Extra Thick), Flexible Seating for All Age(Office & School & Home) (34cm Avocado) : Sports & Outdoors 113. Ea...

260. Wegmans Cook in a Bag Meal Cooked in a Slow Cooker 07.02.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating a "cook in bag meal" designed to be cooked in a slow cooker when cooked in a slow cooker. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 Cook-in-Bag Entrees: Delicious flavor, cooks perfect every time - YouTube Cook-in-Bag Meat Entrees - Wegmans Cook-in-Bag Meat Entrees - Wegmans Cook-in-Bag Meals - Wegmans Slow cookers and food saf...

259. Eating a Food or at a Restaurant Again, After (You Think) It Made You Sick 04.02.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks eating a food or at a restaurant again, after (you think) it made you sick. Dr. Don - risky ☣️ Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 Report Food Poisoning Now. Protect Others. Patrick Quade on Twitter: ""…one more shot", "…have my husband try it" - we get quite a few 'double down' reports like this. We think it's generally not a good idea. Thoughts? @benjami...

258. Re-Using Boxed Fish Fry Stored at Room Temperature 02.02.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of re-using boxed fish fry stored at room temperature. Dr. Don - risky ☣️ Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 246. Re-Using Plastic Bags — Risky or Not? Zatarain's® Crispy Southern Fish Fri | Zatarain's The Places of Athens throughout the Decades | Magazine | redandblack.com Athens, GA Restaurant Behind R.E.M.'s "Automatic for the People" to Close - Eater

257. Sous Vide Brisket for One Month at 131 °F 31.01.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks eating sous vide brisket cooked for one month at 131 °F. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 I COOKED a Brisket for a MONTH and this happened! - YouTube 180. Stinky Sous Vide — Risky or Not? ComBase

256. Sniffing Milk Instead Using Expiration Dates 28.01.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of sniffing milk instead using expiration dates. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 Morrisons scraps use by dates on milk in favour of sniff test | News | The Grocer Short communication: Bacterial ecology of high-temperature, short-time pasteurized milk processed in the United States - ScienceDirect Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a cau...

255. Lining Wooden Beer Casks With Pine Pitch in Czech Tradition 26.01.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of lining wooden beer casks with pine pitch in Czech tradition. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 The Caipirinha: Fun to Make, Easy to Drink, Hard to Pronounce - Article - FineCooking How to Make Pine Rosin Potatoes Toxic Woods, British Journal of Dermatology Familial Sarcoidosis: Epidemiological Aspects with Notes on a Possible...

254. Do It Yourself Pizza Oven 24.01.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using a do it yourself pizza oven from TikTok. Dr. Don - risky ☣️ Professor Ben - risky ☣️ The Flintstones would be so proud 😭 #fypシ #pizzastone #diy #cheaptok #pizza #camping #backyard #easydiy Rodrigo on TikTok MSDS for paving stones Is Concrete Toxic?

253. Scott's Ambiguously Sealed Mincemeat 21.01.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from a jar of ambiguously sealed mincemeat send from listener Scott. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 Scott Lougheed on Twitter: "Opened up a jar of last year's mincemeat. Ambiguous seal. No signs of spoilage. Ate a teaspoon: Tastes good. 36hrs passed and no sign of botulism (or other illness). Risky or not @benjaminchapman and...

252. Taste the TV 19.01.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of licking Taste the TV. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 Randal Oulton on Twitter: "@bugcounter risky or not https://t.co/1wiQ8anaKR" / Twitter Taste the TV: Japan invents lickable screen to imitate food flavours | Japan | The Guardian Tasty TV: Japanese professor creates flavourful screen | Reuters Taste the TV: Japanese profe...

251. Aaron's Black Eyed Peas 17.01.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating properly stored rehydrated black eye peas not boiled for 20 minutes. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 Don Schaffner 🦠 on Twitter: "@PulsedAlmondboy @benjaminchapman I have so many questions. It seems that these are already cooked. Why does the label recommend washing? The directions say boil uncovered for 20 minutes,...

250. Pasta With Sauce and Turkey Left Out Overnight 14.01.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating pasta with sauce and turkey left out overnight. Dr. Don - risky ☣️ Professor Ben - risky ☣️ Use of Time-Temperature Evaluations in Detecting the Responsible Vehicle and Contributing Factors of Foodborne Disease Outbreaks | Journal of Food Protection Fatal Family Outbreak of Bacillus cereus-Associated Food Poisoning

249. Bringing Frozen Unrefrigerated Peameal Bacon Across the Border 12.01.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks bringing frozen unrefrigerated peameal bacon across the Canada/US border by car. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 Back bacon - Wikipedia Peameal bacon - Wikipedia Can I bring meat or poultry into the United States? USDA APHIS | International Traveler: Meats, Poultry, and Seafood

248. Eating Raw Bacon 10.01.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating raw cured bacon. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 Don Schaffner 🦠 on Twitter: "@mathowie @busblog Hey Matt, this is a great question. As raw meats go, bacon is pretty low risk. Based on this research done by my colleague Cathy Cutter @drkitty92 and her graduate student https://t.co/QgxuvlT5Au it looks like conventiona...

247. Feeding Breadcrumbs Older Than Your Kid to Your Kid 07.01.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of accidentally feeding rancid breadcrumbs to your kids. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 Piccata - Wikipedia Rancidification - Wikipedia Dietary advanced lipid oxidation endproducts are risk factors to human health - Kanner - 2007 - Molecular Nutrition & Food Research - Wiley Online Library Bread crumbs - Wikipedia An unusual c...

246. Re-Using Plastic Bags 05.01.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks re-using plastic bags. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 Slugore on Twitter: "@benjaminchapman @bugcounter I am wondering about your views on washing and reusing resealable plastic food storage bags. Risky or not? Worth it or not?" / Twitter

245. Licking an Ice Sculpture 03.01.2022

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of licking an ice sculpture Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 Veronica Bryant (@NoroNerd) / Twitter Mary Kathrynn (@marydidyaknow) / Twitter Microbiological quality of ice used to refrigerate foods - ScienceDirect Ice as a vehicle for diarrheagenic Escherichia coli - ScienceDirect Ice sculpture - Wikipedia Multi-pathogen waterbor...

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