A short podcast about everyday risks from germs
ChatGPT image description: A blindfolded woman stands just outside a kitchen, smiling confidently while holding a sign that reads “COOKED.” Steam rises from a pan behind her, suggesting food on the stove. Though she can’t see, the aroma convinces her the meal is properly cooked.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of using smell to determine when a food is safely cooked.
Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️
ChatGPT image description: A close-up shows someone cutting into a seasoned chicken breast on a white plate. The golden-brown exterior contrasts with a visibly pink, undercooked interior. A fork and knife frame the slice, with juices pooling slightly, emphasizing the unsafe “medium-rare” appearance.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating medium rare (not ground) chicken.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
ChatGPT image description: A nervous man stares at a split sausage roll, revealing pink, undercooked ground pork inside. His eyes are wide and brows furrowed in concern as he holds the pastry close to his face, clearly alarmed by what he has just bitten into.
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 👍🏼
ChatGPT image description: A stern restaurant inspector checks a prime rib roasting overnight, holding a thermometer showing under 120°F. The chef sleeps beside the oven, oblivious. The scene contrasts the inspector’s alarm with the chef’s exhaustion, highlighting unsafe cooking conditions and a tense, dimly lit kitchen atmosphere. Don's comment: I think this guy looks a little bit like Pete Snyder. Also very weird thermometer.
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 ☣️
Image description: Image from the actual video
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 👍🏼
ChatGPT image description: A whole roast turkey sits on a platter garnished with parsley and cranberries. Its skin is golden and crisp. A round metal probe thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the breast, showing a reading of 155°F, highlighting that it’s been pulled from the oven before final resting.
Don: I will always find ChatGPT's wacky attempts to draw thermometers to be funny.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of cooking raw turkey to only 155 °F
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
Chef John declares that it's OK for him to touch his own meat.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of making rare roast beef.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
ChatGPT image description: A beautifully roasted turkey rests in a pan, stuffed with golden bread cubes and vegetables. A meat thermometer inserted directly into the stuffing reads 165°F, signaling safe doneness. The turkey’s crispy skin glistens, and the scene looks ready for a festive meal.
Don: And once again ChatGPT really does not understand thermometers or numbers on a scale. It doesn't really understand what a turkey might look like either.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of cooking stuffing inside the turkey.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
A close-up of a sunny-side-up egg cooking in a textured black pan. The yolk is vibrant yellow, and the whites are cooked with light browning at the edges. Subtle, glowing, microscopic virus-like shapes are faintly embedded in the egg whites, blending naturally into the scene under warm lighting.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from sunny side up egg from a bird infected with bird flu.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
DALL·E - An open mailbox with a pan of lasagna inside. The mailbox is located at the edge of a suburban street, with a neatly trimmed lawn and a few houses visible.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of making lasagna in your mailbox.
Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating a clearly pink burger that is cooked to 170 °F.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks that Ben will face this American thanksgiving when he smokes a 27 lb turkey named ham.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating meat of a properly cooked (160 °F) rabid animal
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of easting fries cooked in cooking oil with a mouse
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of trying to cook a chicken in a "hotel" coffeepot.
Dr. Don - risky ☣️
Professor Ben - risky ☣️
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of cooking poultry to 150 °F plus carryover heating.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
While searching for show art, Don came across the page linked below. This provides a more quantitative assessment, but does not change the overall conclusions.
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of transmitting COVID-19 when cooking while COVID-19 positive
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
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 👍🏼
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of eating lasagna that is made over a 100 hour time period.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼
Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating a cooked turkey that's been thawed, when it was meant to be cooked from frozen.
Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼
Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼