Rephonic
Artwork for Risky or Not?
Food Safety
Salmonella
Bacillus Cereus
Clostridium Botulinum
Germs
Listeria
Botulism
Norovirus
Water Activity
Cross-Contamination
Bacteria
Sushi
Coffee
FDA
Foodborne Pathogens
Staphylococcus Aureus
Eggnog
Raw Chicken
Water Quality
Tongs

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.

PublishesDailyEpisodes1001Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Life SciencesHealth & FitnessScience

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Artwork for Risky or Not?

Latest Episodes

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating an unwrapped Twix from a bag of halloween candy.

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

Keywords: Halloween, Candy, Packaging

ChatGPT image description: Don's actual ca... more

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating pasta sauce made with a cursed baseball.

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

• Left Field | MLB.com: News

• Curse of the Billy Goat - Wikipedia

• This 3,200 Year ... more

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from placing a baby in a pumpkin.

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

• halloween - Risky or Not?

• Ma Nishtana - Wikipedia

• Facebook post

• Doctors warn pumpkin patches cou... more

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from washing produce without first removing the sticker.

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

• banana - Risky or Not?

• Microbiological safety evaluations and recommendations o... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Kevin Verstrepen
A scientist who runs a lab at KU Leuven studying yeast and fermentation
KU Leuven
Episode: 975. A Bottle of Guinness From a 162-Year-Old Shipwreck
Abhinav Mishra
Modeling researcher referenced as the third author on PMP work
University of Georgia
Episode: 974. Leftover Rice Transported Out of Temperature Control for About 5 Hours
Julie Jean
Researcher referenced for the study on herpes dispersion via food handling
McGill University
Episode: 953. Herpes Spit Sandwich
Dr. Ellen Schumaker
Director of Outreach and Extension for the Safe Place Program
North Carolina State University
Episode: 771. Eating Steaks Flipped With Licked Bare Hands
Rachel Jackson
Founder of Eat or Toss
Eat or Toss
Episode: 757. Rusty Can Opener
Pastor Pinkston
A listener and question contributor to the podcast
Episode: 589. Hamburger Left in Car for Three Days

Hosts

Ben Chapman
Food-safety professor at North Carolina State University.
Don Schaffner
Professor of food science at Rutgers University.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 174 ratings
  • They always answer my crazy questions

    I love this podcast. They answer food safety questions about whether something is risky or not. Some serious, some absurd like brewing tea in nacho cheese instead of water. That was a funny one and it was my idea. The hosts are awesome. And now they are doing a Simpsons arc which is my dream come true. Will they include the Simpsons waffle suggestions I suggested because I know how much they love waffle episodes? Only time will tell.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gregoryakoch
    United Statesa year ago
  • So helpful

    Previous to listening to Risky or Not? I knew most of the safe food handling rules I needed to know, which is great, but you often run into edge cases that don’t fit neatly under any of the rules. Since listening to the podcast, and gaining an understanding of the ‘why’ behind them, I can make informed decisions when faced with novel food safety questions, with an actual understanding of the specific risks involved in any particular food decision.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JustHappyToBeHere_
    United States2 years ago
  • Short time listener; first time reviewer

    Just started listening to this show (Jul 2024). Really enjoying it. Love that it's a short podcast. Just have one recommendation that I have to imagine someone else has made: renaming the show "Risky or bisky?"

    If it's not risky, than it's like a biscuit. Chow down!🤓

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    dunkinstirling
    United States2 years ago
  • Love it

    I love this show. I have learned so much and laughed along the way!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mally_Mal_Mal6789
    United States2 years ago
  • Great show!

    Love this show! The episodes are short but packed with lots of information. Don and Ben are great to listen to and make me laugh while I learn about the risks of eating food. But I obviously have to say that “the risks of not eating outweigh the risks of eating!” I’ve even submitted questions in a few times and received responses every time and have had my questions featured twice now. I only wish the episodes came out more frequently but the frequency is probably actually perfect to keep me int... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    michimochi
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate explanations of why food-safety guidance applies, helping them reason through unfamiliar situations.
Some listeners find the episodes informative and entertaining, though one reviewer noted that verbal fillers could use editing.
The hosts are praised for combining expertise, humor, and an enjoyable conversational style.
Listeners value the concise answers to unusual, everyday food-safety questions.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

1000. Baby-Stuffed Pumpkin
Q: So, is eating this pasta sauce made from the essence of a cursed baseball Risky or Not?
Don Schaffner and Ben Chapman say it is not risky. They note that boiling and infusing the baseball remains makes physical contamination the main potential concern, especially if string or other debris remained in the sauce.
999. Washing Produce With the Sticker On
Q: Washing produce with stickers on, risky or not?
Ben Chapman and Don Schaffner say it is not risky. The chance that a pathogen is present beneath a sticker and remains there after washing is very low.
995. Canning Corn in Hand-Soldered Tins
Q: So Don, canning corn in hand-soldered tins from an 1883 recipe, risky or not?
Both hosts say it is risky because boiling does not reliably destroy Clostridium botulinum spores in low-acid corn, and the hand-applied solder may contain lead.
986. Eating an Unopened Package of Live It Up® Super Greens That Was Recalled Due to Potential Salmonella Contamination
Q: Would heating or cooking make the product safe to consume?
Heating can reduce risk but is not foolproof for all conditions and may destroy probiotics; if done, heat to a sufficiently high temperature and ensure the process is thorough, yet there is still residual risk.
986. Eating an Unopened Package of Live It Up® Super Greens That Was Recalled Due to Potential Salmonella Contamination
Q: Is it safe to assume both bags are safe if one of them is?
No. Contamination in microbiology is not uniformly distributed; one bag being safe does not guarantee the other is safe.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Location
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Frequently Asked Questions About Risky or Not?

What is Risky or Not? about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Brief, conversational assessments of everyday food-safety questions, from leftovers and produce handling to fermentation, home canning, and unusual food experiments. Professors Ben Chapman and Don Schaffner weigh the details of each scenario, explain relevant microbiology and time-and-temperature factors, and give direct judgments about whether a practice is risky. They sometimes disagree, making their reasoning and the limits of a specific answer part of the discussion. Listener-submitted questions and practical examples keep the science grounded, while research references and the hosts' expertise add depth. Humor, personal anecdotes, and occasional cultural detours give the discussions an informal feel without displacing the central risk ... more

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1. Outside/In
2. Sidedoor
3. Science Vs
4. Gastropod
5. What It's Like To Be... with Dan Heath

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Risky or Not? launched 7 years ago and published 1001 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Risky or Not??

Recent guests on Risky or Not? include:

1. Kevin Verstrepen
2. Abhinav Mishra
3. Julie Jean
4. Dr. Ellen Schumaker
5. Rachel Jackson
6. Pastor Pinkston

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