Risky or Not?

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.

875. OneTrueJustin's Parents Half Eaten Banana 01/12/2026

875. OneTrueJustin's Parents Half Eaten Banana Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from leaving a half a cut banana at room temperature for 24 hours. Dr. Don - risky ☣️ Professor Ben - risky ☣️ /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39596880

874. Dry Canning Potatoes 01/09/2026

874. Dry Canning Potatoes Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from pressure canning cooked potatoes without added water. Dr. Don - risky ☣️ Professor Ben - risky ☣️ /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39596865

873. Leftover Conveyer Belt Sushi 01/07/2026

873. Leftover Conveyer Belt Sushi Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating leftover conveyer belt sushi. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39596840

872. Medium Rare Chicken 01/05/2026

872. Medium Rare Chicken Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating medium rare (not ground) chicken. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39596825

871. Eating 1 or 2 Bites of Undercooked Ground Pork 01/02/2026

871. Eating 1 or 2 Bites of Undercooked Ground Pork Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating 1 or 2 bites of undercooked ground pork. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39447210

870. A Smoothie Made With a Cordless Drill 12/31/2025

870. A Smoothie Made With a Cordless Drill Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from making a smoothie using a cordless drill. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39447040

869. Moldy Clay 12/29/2025

869. Moldy Clay Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from moldy clay. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39447025

868. Homemade Caramel Sauce Left Out Over Night 12/26/2025

868. Homemade Caramel Sauce Left Out Over Night Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from leaving homemade caramel sauce out over night. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39446985

867. Using Tongs 12/24/2025

867. Using Tongs Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from using tongs to pick up food. Fedica text: Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39358285

866. Thawing Chicken With an Aquarium Pump 12/22/2025

866. Thawing Chicken With an Aquarium Pump Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using an aquarium pump to circulate the water to aid in thawing a chicken in a cooler of water. Fedica text: Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39358250

865. Cleaning a Food Thermometer With Just Water 12/19/2025

865. Cleaning a Food Thermometer With Just Water Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of cleaning a food thermometer with just water. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39358220

864. Tap Water From a Sketchy Bathroom Sink 12/17/2025

864. Tap Water From a Sketchy Bathroom Sink Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from drinking tapwater from a bathroom sink where the bathroom smells like a bathroom. Fedica text: Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39358195

863. Taking a Pill Dropped in the Bathroom Sink 12/15/2025

863. Taking a Pill Dropped in the Bathroom Sink Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from taking a pill dropped in the bathroom sink for less than five seconds. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39358155

862. Wearing "New" Clothes Without Washing 12/12/2025

862. Wearing "New" Clothes Without Washing Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of wearing “new” (to you) clothes without washing first. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39257325

861. Russel's 120 °F Prime Rib 12/10/2025

861. Russel's 120 °F Prime Rib Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from Russel’s 120 °F prime rib recipe, which is a follow up to episode 854, Chef John’s Perfect Prime Rib. Dr. Don - risky ☣️ Professor Ben - risky ☣️ /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39257270

860. Unpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar for Pregnant or Immunocompromised People 12/08/2025

860. Unpasteurized Apple Cider Vinegar for Pregnant or Immunocompromised People 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 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39257160

859. Medium Rare Duck Breast and HPAI 12/05/2025

859. Medium Rare Duck Breast and HPAI Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of contracting high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) from medium rare duck breast. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39257145

858. Crockpot Chicken at Room Temperature "All Day" 12/03/2025

858. Crockpot Chicken at Room Temperature "All Day" Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of holding raw chicken at room temperature “all day” before cooking. Dr. Don - risky ☣️ Professor Ben - risky ☣️ /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39257110

857. Water Bathed Canned Turkey Noodle Soup 12/01/2025

857. Water Bathed Canned Turkey Noodle Soup Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of turkey noodle soup that’s been boiling water bath canning for 2 hours. Dr. Don - risky ☣️ Professor Ben - risky ☣️ /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39257060

856. Feeding Sealed Byheart Baby Formula to a Baby 11/28/2025

856. Feeding Sealed Byheart Baby Formula to a Baby Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of feeding recalled sealed Byheart baby formula to a baby. Fedica text: Dr. Don - risky ☣️ Professor Ben - risky ☣️ /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39155430

855. Cooking Raw Turkey to 155 °F 11/26/2025

855. Cooking Raw Turkey to 155 °F Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of cooking raw turkey to only 155 °F Fedica text: Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39155315

854. Chef John's Perfect Prime Rib 11/24/2025

854. Chef John's Perfect Prime Rib Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of making rare roast beef. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39155290

853. Using a Swiss Army Knife Toothpick 11/21/2025

853. Using a Swiss Army Knife Toothpick Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from using a swiss army knife toothpick. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39112840

852. Prosciutto Di Parma at Room Temperature for Months 11/19/2025

852. Prosciutto Di Parma at Room Temperature for Months Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating hand sliced Prosciutto ham stored at room temperature for months. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39112765

851. Eric's Fizzy Grapefuit Juice 11/17/2025

851. Eric's Fizzy Grapefuit Juice Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of consuming in date but fizzy grapefruit juice from a mechanically stressed container. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/39112710

850. Dishwasher Lasagna 11/14/2025

850. Dishwasher Lasagna Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating dishwasher lasagna (aka lasagna alla lavastoviglie) Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/38831495

849. Eating a Hollywood Chewing-Gum Cardboard Box 11/12/2025

849. Eating a Hollywood Chewing-Gum Cardboard Box Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of Eating a Cardboard Box of Hollywood Chewing-Gum, Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/38830130

848. Cooking Stuffing Inside the Turkey 11/10/2025

848. Cooking Stuffing Inside the Turkey Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of cooking stuffing inside the turkey. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/38830075

847. Using a "Found" Pocket Mouth Guard 11/07/2025

847. Using a "Found" Pocket Mouth Guard Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using a mouthguard from the coaches mouthguard pocket. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/38829995

846. Spraying Mouthguard With Ethanol and Propanol 11/05/2025

846. Spraying Mouthguard With Ethanol and Propanol Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from spraying mouthguard with ethanol and propanol. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 /episode/index/show/riskyornot/id/38829910

Risky or Not?

TOPICS