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.

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from eating from a bag of popcorn that a sports team mascot has touched with their costumed hand. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 <ul> <li><a href= "https://highpointrockers.com/high-point-rockers-team/meet-hype/">High Point Rockers | Baseball Team | Mascot HYPE</a></li> <li><a href= "https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=756903109772753&set=pb.100063592118311.-2207520000"> High Point Rockers Mascot on Facebook</a></li> <li><a href= "https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/zph.12043">Salmonella Oranienburg Isolated from Horses, Wild Turkeys and An Edible Home Garden Fertilized with Raw Horse Manure - Jay‐Russell - 2014 - Zoonoses and Public Health - Wiley Online Library</a></li> <li><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12092962/">An analysis of human pathogens found in horse/mule manure along the John Muir Trail in Kings Canyon and Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks - PubMed</a></li> </ul>

Risky or Not?

Eating From a Bag of Popcorn After Hype the Mascot Has “Eaten” From It

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from licking a fake cupcake that has been repeatedly tossed into an inflatable donut on an astroturf field. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 <ul> <li><a href= "https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/max-changes-name-hbo-max-1236397399/"> Max Changes Name Back to HBO Max</a></li> <li><a href="https://highpointrockers.com/">High Point Rockers | Baseball Team</a></li> <li><a href= "https://www.riskyornot.co/episodes/686-eating-an-egg-fried-on-astroturf?rq=astroturf"> 686. Eating an Egg Fried on Astroturf — Risky or Not?</a></li> <li><a href= "https://www.safehealthyplayingfields.org/toxicity-articles-blog/2016/11/16/toxic-turf-the-huffington-post"> “TOXIC TURF” — Safe Healthy Playing Fields</a></li> <li><a href= "https://www.safehealthyplayingfields.org/toxicity-carcinogens">Toxicity/Carcinogens — Safe Healthy Playing Fields</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.keyboardmaestro.com/main/">Keyboard Maestro 11.0.4: Work Faster with Macros for macOS</a></li> <li><a href="https://brettterpstra.com/projects/makeadate-km/">Make A Date for Keyboard Maestro - BrettTerpstra.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hV85E2S-Idw">Liars - Saturday Night Live - YouTube</a></li> <li><a href= "https://x.com/MeAloneInMyMind/status/1421713318079696897">In My Mind on X: ““Mmm…. Donuts.” - Homer Simpson https://t.co/MTIO4S4woE” / X</a></li> </ul>

Licking a Fake Cupcake That Has Been Repeatedly Tossed Into an Inflatable Donut on an Astroturf Field

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks of consuming 5-year-old homemade vanilla extract as shown on reddit. Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 <ul> <li><a href= "https://www.reddit.com/r/Baking/comments/1iuiteb/forgot_i_made_this_vanilla_extract_5_years_ago/?share_id=LZ2bxDi5XTtkxDeILOTFa"> Forgot I made this vanilla extract 5 years ago. Still good? : r/Baking</a></li> <li><a href= "https://www.madagascarvanillacompany.com/vanilla-mold-vanillin-crystals/"> Mold on Vanilla Beans - Moldy Vanilla or Bean Crystals Vanillin Crystals? | Madagascar Vanilla Company</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQVlb7owIto">How To Say Vanillin - YouTube</a></li> <li><a href= "https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0956713510003105"> Control of food spoilage fungi by ethanol - ScienceDirect</a></li> <li><a href= "https://www.vanillabeankings.com/blogs/recipes/how-to-make-homemade-vanilla-extract-from-vanilla-beans?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21199546264"> How to Make Vanilla Extract from Vanilla Beans (Homemade Vanilla) – Vanilla Bean Kings</a></li> </ul>

5-Year-Old Homemade Vanilla Extract From Reddit

Dr. Don and Professor Ben talk about the risks from a jar of mayonnaise that was opened and then accidentally left at room temperature for less than a week Dr. Don - not risky 👍🏼 Professor Ben - not risky 👍🏼 <ul> <li><a href= "https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X22006184"> Microbiological Safety of Mayonnaise, Salad Dressings, and Sauces Produced in the United States: A Review - ScienceDirect</a></li> <li><a href= "https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0740002083710312"> Review: Fate of pathogens in home-made mayonnaise and related products - ScienceDirect</a></li> <li><a href= "https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X22050438"> An Assessment of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Contamination Risks in Commercial Mayonnaise from Pasteurized Eggs and Environmental Sources, and Behavior in Low-pH Dressings - ScienceDirect</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/5/4/63">A Review of Temperature, pH, and Other Factors that Influence the Survival of Salmonella in Mayonnaise and Other Raw Egg Products</a></li> <li><a href= "https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X24001686"> Models for the Inactivation of Foodborne Pathogens in Salad Dressing from Challenge Studies - ScienceDirect</a></li> <li><a href= "https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/mayonnaise"> Mayonnaise - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.merlinmann.com/">Independent Writer, Speaker, and Broadcaster - Merlin Mann</a></li> </ul>

Don Schaffner and Ben Chapman

Risky or Not? by Don Schaffner and Ben Chapman

Episodes