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Call for questions: FOODBORNE ILLNESS (Patreon)

Published:
2026-10-12 18:32:04
Edited:
2026-10-15 02:08:38
Imported:

Content

Who could forget the explosive diarrhea of Summer 2026? Let's talk Cyclospora. And beyond! E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella, and all those bacteria and parasites that can contaminate our food and make us disgustingly sick. I'll be talking with a public health professional and former CDC health scientist who's surveilled foodborne diseases and investigated outbreaks. Leave your questions in the comments!

⚠️ Deadline: Wednesday, October 14 at 5pm PST

⚠️ QUESTIONS ARE CLOSED

Files

Comments

Waddles98

I feel like so many of my friends have grown to fear the US food system. What steps can we take to ensure better food safety practices at home, and how do we curb food paranoia? Are there any resources etc?

Andie

What can we do at home to protect ourselves (since it seems like the government isn’t going to) ?? Should I be worried about eating ground beef right now??

Kayla Yarbrough

How often do people really get sick from eating raw cookie dough?

Naomi Jane

What's the most unexpected thing that will have disastrous consequences if consumed?

stephanie blevins

What’s really up with the sexually transmitting diarrhea?

Marie Kirby

what is the deal with “fried rice syndrome”? i read about it once and now im scared of leftovers. do i really have to be THAT concerned?

Nicole Robb

Can food poisoning be considered a contagious illness?

Person

I might hate myself for asking this, as a sprout lover, but how paranoid do I really need to be if I sprout at home?

Jena Mena

Am I really going to get sick if I put my warm pasta in the fridge too soon? :( I hate waiting for my food to cool before storing it, I end up forgetting and sometimes it stays out all night long! Which is worse? Hahah

Matt Ceccato

What do inspectors look for before our food makes it to market?

Naomi Jane

How can I tell if eggs are off? They all seem to float!

Mike B

If we are home cooks what do we really have to do to make sure different surfaces are safe? I have heard arguments that we dont have to do more to clean a surface than we do to make sure our hands are clean? Could that possibly be true? It just doesn’t seem right.

Emma DeBurger

Can animals other than mammals get sick from contaminated food or is their digestive system too robust?

calvin73atx

Are there more outbreaks of foodborne illnesses since January of 2025 or are they just garnering more news coverage?

Naomi Jane

Can veggies be worse than meat for making folks ill, or is meat always more risk?

Brian Scott

I have major ongoing trouble with "food". Not bacteria, but so many chemicals. Are we any better off killing food bacteria and pests while destroying our gut?

Clairebebop

How prevalent is botulism in home canned food? How easy/hard is it to avoid it when canning your own food?

PotatoesandSalmon

Can repeated exposure to foodborne illnesses cause a person to develop a tolerance or sensitivity?

JillyDoogs

Why do some food poisoning incidents feel worse depending on the type of food or is that all in my head?

Allison Dorsett

2 questions: I've always wondered, is that rule about not having raw meat near others foods in the fridge something super important, or is it lesser on the scale of what we should be worried about in our fridge? Secondly, is refrigeration that important for keeping foods good? Something I noticed when I visited Europe is that their refrigeration is not nearly as cold as it is in the States and their eggs last longer. Why is that? Are they more likely to get sick without the ice-cold refrigeration? Should we lesser the temps for our fridge in the states? (First time asking questions haha, hopefully these make sense!)

Lizzy Martinez

Botulism has always fascinated me since my foods/cooking class in High School in 2010-2011. Also, Alton Brown is the GOAT with food prep and handling knowledge, we would watch him in HS all the time. I miss that class now LOL!

Michelle Lore

Is it true that cut melon is a big cause of foodborne illness?

Lily

What is the difference between different meats with their culinary preparation and how that relates to food borne illness? Like why can my duck or beef be medium or rare, but my chicken or pork being pink is dangerous?

Lily

Food safety and fisheries? Salmon specifically?

Alli B

I’m so excited about this. You’re about to save lives, Dadward.

Allison Dorsett

Omg wait this is such a good one! I never did that before but then my husband does it now. I was so confused!

Fuzzgoddess

How common are foodborne illnesses? Like we all do things to protect ourselves but when is it overkill?

Beck

What is the connection between factory farming and food born illness. Does buying local/organic/small farm foods make us safer? What about cage free/free range eggs? Are happier animals generally safer to eat?

Lily

What’s up with milk, butter, and eggs being left out in other countries but everything having to be refrigerated in the US?

Lily

Why aren’t wet markets more prevalent in the US as opposed to other places in the world? Is it cultural?

Lily

Why don’t more people can or ferment at home in the US? What are the risks with at home food preservation? Is this cultural? I feel like my grandparents grew up preserving food at home but this art and science has all but died, where it’s still important and relevant all over the world. How much of this is corporate interests?

John Conley

Is it okay to cut around moldy cheese or bread and continue to eat?

Lily

What’s the rundown of extending the life of your food, whether it has mold on part of it or is wilting? I grew up cutting the mold off of food and cooking it, we didn’t have a lot of income to not make the most of the food we had, but other people feel differently about this I’ve learned. Is this not food safe?

Sienna

Such perfect timing! I'm recovering from my first case of food poisoning in my life. I'm 42. My partner gets food poisoning fairly often and it hits them HARD. Recently when we were in Cusco they had it coming out booth ends! (Sorry for the visual) My symptoms are much much less. Why are some of us more resistant/ sensitive than others? I've been with my partner for 8 years. In that time they have had food poisoning 5 times from restaurants and I've had it just the once though we eat at the same places and often share the same meal. Unrelated, but I've also never had the flu. (I should note that I get the flu shot [didn't get it as a child], so even though I'm not personally at risk, I still get the shot every season)

Gardener Gabbi

As an eater of raw cookie dough/cake batter, I too would like to know 😂

Hannah Thorpe

Is it true that cooked rice can become life threatening if you eat it after leaving it out too long?

Carolyn Armbruster

Ah! How can we trust what is safe to eat when there are fewer regulations and less transparency about where our food comes from?

Ana Bee

It's mostly the raw egg that is the risk, so it would be those rates. Yeast if involved might be tricky for some, if theor stomach fauna is out of whack. Never stopped me, tho

Annuh150

I heard taking liquid pepto bismol immediately after a suspicious meal you regret having may help prevent food poisoning. Is there any validity to that? If not, is there anything that can be done immediately to prevent potential food poisoning after eating? -From someone who is deathly afraid of food poisoning and throwing up lol.

Sienna

How does food born illness rates and sources compare around the globe? Are there characteristic vectors for each country?

Anna Freitas

What's up with food poisoning and SIBO/IMO/ISO? Some doctors recommend preemptively prescribing antibiotics for patients who have recovered from SIBO if they're traveling because I guess it's a bit of a spiral of risk factors? As someone who's recovered (mostly) from SIBO/IMO but is also concerned about antibiotic resistance and antibiotic misuse potentially worsening gut microbiome issues, it feels confusing and concerning!

Ana Bee

Any research on whether the non-contiguous epidemics, like the thyroid dysfunction links to changes in food production? Long time listener, first time asker, thank you for the show on behalf of my group chats ❤️

Ana Bee

The eggs thing is mostly because we don't wash them around here. In general it depends what sorts of food you're storing, but our diets don't differ that much so great question re other ingredients!

Ana Bee

Wait, what?

Jess Crane

Why do some folks—that don’t have any complicating factors (me)—seem to experience more symptoms and for longer than others (the rest of my family)?

stephanie blevins

Yes! I got email the other day about it since I’m a nurse. It’s called shigellosis. It’s really just a stomach bug

Jaqi McCarthy

The increase recently is partly due to more robust testing, but at the same time regulations are relaxing and monitoring tools are being cut. How can we bridge this gap and not rely solely on industry? (From a food scientist!)

Райотт Миновский

I'm getting to the point where I'm scared to eat anything now. Every week feels like a spin-the-wheel of recalls and reasons.

Ana Bee

Bless your digestive system! Not many antibiotics when you were growing up? Also hugs for partner

Jaqi McCarthy

As a food scientist I have to chime in - the risk is likely with the temperature of the pasta (or other dish) warming up the fridge causing other foods to also warm up, and maybe spoil. As long as the pasta isnt still HOT you should be fine putting it in the fridge

Jana

So...Norovirus (first time question-asker). Isn't Norovirus really what's going on when people think they have "food poisoning" or a "stomach bug"? Is this what you should be worried about when eating raw cookie dough, or undercooked shellfish? Please debunk any flim-flam commonly believed by many of us.

Naomi Jane

Why are pregnant people more vulnerable to food poisoning?

StrawbrryMom 🍓

I understand cuts were made at the FDA - but what was happening before that’s not happening now?

Neeko Scraps

I have had food poisoning 11 times in the last 6 years. Is my immune system good at recognizing the common problem bacteria or am i incredibly unlucky? Is our food measurably dirtier than previous years? Than other countries?

Yuri

Braiseds lettuce i had in a Chinese restaurant was delicious. Does cooking lettuce make it safe? Does regenerative /organic farming have less illnesses in the first place? How much is inspections and how much is collapse of unsustainable western industrialized farming practices?

Brēna FluoxeTina Jōnez

My ex and I had way different protocols. We had different levels of fear of foodborne germs too. I assume that's because... maybe...well a lot of reasons... but also because our guts dealt with stuff differently. How different is the harm from the pathogens related to the individual gut biome? And ALSO, how dangerous are: lysteria on melons; samenella on eggs; germs on meat spice containers; frozen foods; wood cutting boards, plastic cutting boards; h2o bottles; reusable straws; old salsa; unrefridgerated hot sauces; pet dishes; dog tennis balls; dog tongues; undercooked chicken; fast food joints; high end restaurants; doing dishes well or poorly; time limits on food in the fridge; and lastly, gulp, disgruntled workers spitting/peeing in someone's food????

BuildingNerd

How long do leftovers ACTUALLY last in the fridge after cooking? I’ve always heard it’s a week tops but sometimes they spoil early and sometimes they seem just fine after that week has passed!

Victoria Hsieh

How would we compare the current rate of foodborne illness outbreaks to historical trends of illness? How does climate change contribute to higher rates of foodborne illness? When are the best months to eat oysters…

Victoria Hsieh

What are some not common sources of food borne illness? Ex. We talk about raw eggs, meat, all the time but what else

lothlauren

It's actually the raw flour that's the risk! It can carry e-coli! So if you want to make edible cookie dough, you can cook the flour by itself a little before adding it to the mix, or have a flourless batter!

Anna Taylor

What are the most common causes (i.e. pathogens) of food poisoning?

Anna Taylor

Why is rice dangerous when reheated?

Hailey Rose Jones

How scared of raw chicken do we really need to be? If I forgot it was dethawing on the counter for a few hours, does it need to get trashed even though I plan to cook it throughly? And how can I be sure it's little germs don't wander around after I work with it? I feel like I can't clean enough after processing chicken, but never feel like all the chicken germs are gone.

Rebecca Roehm

As a former restaurant manager, I would field complaints from customers who insisted they contracted a food borne illness immediately after eating. I know from my food safety courses that immediate illness is not likely. (Usually it was over indulgence or the meal just didn’t “sit right”.) Are there any illnesses that are quick acting, like less than 6 hours?

Chuck Meriam

How close are any of us from potentially dangerous food-borne bacteria or toxins, but just the potency of our saliva and stomach acids keep us safe?

Rebecca Roehm

As a home canner, this is my biggest worry. I know I am diligent in my safety stes when processing but I m still concerned!!

Ry_ofthetiger

Will rinsing my fruits and vegetables really make any significant impact on my health?

Rebecca Roehm

Hand washing and sanitizing all food contact surfaces would go a long way.

Ry_ofthetiger

When my toddler eats a cracker he found under the couch, how worried should I be?

Ry_ofthetiger

Is our best defense from foodborne pathogens more robust local food markets? How can we effectively build reliance on more local systems?

Ry_ofthetiger

Are the symptoms that pathogens create in our body actually caused by the pathogens themselves, or are they more the product of our immune system's reaction to the pathogens?

Milo Cuesta

I work for a restaurant and everyone on the team goes to great lengths to make sure food is prepped, stored & temped properly. However, on busy holidays, employees will bring casseroles & salads from home, potluck-style to share behind the scenes which helps take the strain off the kitchen. These dishes sometimes sit on a room-temperature table all day while workers snack away on breaks. Is it true that there is a higher percentage of foodborne illness related issues from potluck events than from food provided by restaurants?

Ry_ofthetiger

If you had to bet on the next major food recall, what food would you put your money on?

Diana Staresinic-Deane

How much illness-inducing bacteria and parasites do we actually regularly eat and just manage to fend off?

Tracy Woodard

Is there a shortage of food safety inspectors in America? In the Smithfield Foods lawsuit, I read that North Carolina only had three inspectors to assess 2,100 swine facilities.

mish the fish

how does one know if symptoms are caused by food borne illness and not like norovirus?

julia_loves_fun_facts

How concerned should I really be about reheating leftovers multiple times?

Marijke Decuir

Can you please, please, please talk about incubation periods and how it is almost never the food you ate last that causes your illness? Norovirus takes ~36 hours, Salmonella a day to over a week, cyclospora up to 2 weeks. Sorry, no question. Just a plea.

Sydney Lecker

How do food borne illnesses and outbreaks happen? What’s sparks them?

Katy Jordan

Can you recover from foodborne illnesses without medical intervention? My dad recently had E. coli for over a week before going to a doctor, thankfully he did and got on antibiotics, but what would have be happened if he hadn’t gone at all? (Long time listener, first time asker)

Tot

What actually causes food poisoning?

Jenn Macgillivray

Yeah this was my first thought but I’m not going to stop so… Have managed to not get sick in my 30+ years of chowing down on it.

Jennifer Grogan

What are the best practices to use to keep safe from foodborne illness? We already use common sense approaches like cooking meat through and rinsing veggies and greens well before eating them, but... is rinsing enough? Do I have to peel all root vegetables and wash everything with diluted dish soap? Will cooking chicken ensure salmonella doesn't get us? Help!

Emotional-Support-Human

Best tips for recovery when the thought of water even makes you nauseous.

Nivedita Pari

Can you go onto the history of research and regulations around foodborne illness? Also, what kind of information do we have on the early humans relationship with food and illness?

Sethlkap

Plus one on leftover rice safety and timeline question!

Kiki’s Delivery Service

Oh gosh, as a vegetarian, I get skeeved out any time my lovely boyfriend brings out raw meat. Among other reasons, I can't stop thinking about how there may still be remnants of bacteria on the cutting board, countertop, knife, sink handle, etc. despite washing up well. How much of a danger does meat prep/cooking experience pose for the average Joe?

PMunro24

What's the deal with reheating rice? I've always been warned that it can be really dangerous if I get it wrong. Please help me save my Chinese leftovers!

Keely Rivas

What is the best way to recover from getting one of these? Deffo not speaking from experience........

Joe Koonce (LilBits)

How true is it that after eating something spoiled, drinking a shot of vodka can reduce the amount of bacteria before your body even starts fighting it?

Allie Brown

How long does it typically take to feel sick after eating something gone “bad”

Obilot

What food safety knowledge are we losing over time, given that we take reliable refrigeration for granted?

Beth

Is mold technically a food borne illness? Or can it cause food borne illnesses?

Honor

How do rations/MREs fit in, which foods are shelf stable and safe the longest? In caze of emergency

AJ

Only eating oysters in months with an “r” in them: fact or flimflam?

Greg Walloch

You sometimes hear people say that eating dirt or getting a mild bout of food poisoning just 'builds the immune system'—almost like a localized version of the hygiene hypothesis. From a microbiological standpoint, is there any truth to the idea that exposure to foodborne pathogens trains our immune systems, or is that a myth? Do we need to eat more dirt? Is there a hidden silver lining to foodborne illness?

Addie Cappello she her

Holy smokes this has been a big one recently… My dad almost died this year because he had Listeria and Pneumonia and didn’t know it until he collapsed… are food borne illnesses exacerbated or affected directly by other illnesses? Or is it more that a coincidental, bad series of unfortunate events starts compacting symptoms so the body goes into overload trying to deal with it all at once? What are the biological/chemical/physiological differences between food related illnesses like “food poisoning” where it will eventually pass on it’s own, and something like Listeria, where without intervention, you’re in danger? Does the strength or type of a bacteria determine whether it can cross the digestive barriers into other body systems? What’s the deal with food that is cooked versus not and how it affects a body’s reaction? For example rhubarb; where it will make you sick if you eat it raw but cooked it’s delicious and wonderfully safe? And on the same note, where is the threshold for killing bacteria with heat versus when no amount of cooking is going to make the food safe? Is there an official scale of “how bad” the symptoms of a food borne illness are? Like the hot pepper scale but way worse and more disgusting in every way. What is the situation with things like nightshades? They’re already toxic and have defenses so some people can’t eat them (🙋🏼‍♀️) - BUT in terms of contracting their own “illnesses” do the toxins in these foods lower the chance that they’ll be impacted by bacteria? So for people who can digest them; does this become a “safer” food category during weird world outbreaks of ick? Did everyone historically just exist in a perpetual state of illness because they just didn’t know what they didn’t know about food bacteria, hygiene, etc.? My mom would like to know: Because the current administration has disbanded the safeguards that previously protected us from this widespread contamination, What can we do to best protect ourselves and what is the best way to track recalls? Thank you!! Addie (she/her)

AJ

What are best food safety practices for home cooking? Do I need to bleach my sink after cutting up raw chicken and washing those dishes, for instance? As someone who’s had what seems to be a disproportionate amount of anxiety about raw meat compared to other people, I would love to hear a walkthrough!

Erin Everton

what’s this ologists opinion on perpetual stew?

Krystal

Not sure if this is the right expert for this, but why can I not eat wheat in America when I can in nearly every other country in the world?

John Buchner

Idk if they are more vulnerable, but it’s more dangerous for the fetus and can cause spontaneous abortion.

Georgia

Why does some meat need to be cooked through like chicken, while other meat can be left raw inside like beef/lamb?

Erin Everton

does taking an antacid if you suspect you have an upset stomach from food poisoning help or hurt?

John Buchner

Can you talk about how underreported it is?

John Buchner

Can you smash the myths around raw milk?

Erin Everton

is buying local food any better for avoiding contamination or is it a similar risk?

John Buchner

Can you explain what pasteurization is (reduction of spoilage organisms/elimination of pathogens) and why it’s so important?

John Buchner

Raw milk advocates for health and well being are film flam artists all the way down. Flavor? Maybe. Immune boosting? No way.

gilliansmith

What are their top foods that people should pay attention to expiration dates for? Do all foods REALLY expire or do they just have to put that label on it?

Putri Fraser

Rice: though I have a slightly different question. I grew up in Indonesia and we never worry about rice. Sometimes they are kept warm in the rice cooker, sometimes they are left to cool naturally in room temperature and I don't think I ever heard anyone getting ill from rice. We have puffed rice crackers that is made from drying cooked rice and then deep frying it and they're delicious. Is it true that because we are used to eating it that way that most Asian people (or people who eat rice daily) are immune from the rice bacteria? Or is this survivor bias ? (First time question asker)

Dylan V

What are the general principles for how long different types of food can sit out before becoming dangerous. Just last night, my wife made ravioli for her lunches but accidentally left it sitting out. We threw it out, but is 8 hours really dangerous? How could any bugs survive if it was left in the pot it was cooked it? Would reheating it make it safe? Is pasta different from meat, different from cooked vegetables?

Erin Dewberry

For outbreaks, is there a low enough number of people or severity of symptoms where it doesn't become a recallable product? Like if only one person dies or it only causes a light cough?

Christina Johnson

How have people historically gotten through these kind of illnesses prior to modern medicine?.. What do we know about the history of foodborne illnesses?

bug in a rug

Is this recent surge of food borne illnesses a result of pullbacks in our food safety organizations? I heard a lot of the outbreaks we're experiencing are due to Trump administration cuts and if that's true I HATE IT

bug in a rug

Yes this! I heard this about rice too?

Kayla Lindley

Me too! And I honestly don't know if this will give me more or less peace of mind, since I fully understand that contamination OCD has very little to do with rationality! 😅

Christina Johnson

Are there three or four basic tips to follow to help prevent getting a foodborne illness? Are there illnesses that are more prevalent in children versus in adults? How does the CDC actually track Who's getting sick and where the outbreaks are happening... And where they're originating.

bug in a rug

When I was in barista training I was taught that pouring steamed milk over ice was a no-no because it encouraged bacteria growth and could make folks sick. Is that true? Can you explain proper food temping?

Mamabee & DadAussie

Are some people just more sensitive to food bourne illnesses than others? We often talk about some people having a 'cast iron stomach' meaning they can eat lots of different things or older food and not get sick. Where as I seem to be particularly sensitive and have to be incredibly careful with left overs, or food that has been sitting out for a while. I've done food safety courses, have worked in hospitality and am incredibly careful about how I cook, store and keep my food and it amazes/terrifies me how relaxed others seem to be about it! - Mamabee

Christina Johnson

This! Please talk about not having raw chicken near produce, cheeses, etc in fridge. Also not bagging raw chicken with other foods at grocery store or within coolers. This is such a pet peeve/ worry of mine having worked in trauma/ ICU... But I feel like a lot of people are completely unaware. Is it justified to worry about having salmonella with my blueberries?!

Obilot

Another question: Our noses. Which pathogens make the contaminated food stinky? Which are odorless? What’s the rule of thumb for identifying and avoiding any truly dangerous pathogen—like odorless bacteria-manufactured toxins?

Dr. Primo Delicata, retired organ grinder

1. This brings to mind a quote attributed to comedian Tommy Smothers, ""Red meat is not really bad for a person. Now, blue-green meat – that's bad for you!" 2. Question: Can you address the best choice for cutting boards and how to clean them? Hardwood vs Frequently replaced plastic vs Titanium?

Neeko Scraps

I also want to know how much is attributed to industrial farming.

Grace Conroy

What are the risks of freezing cooked food and reheating in the microwave? Any foods specifically you should avoid doing this with?

Grace Conroy

When cooking raw meat, do you have to change the spatula part way through? I’ve heard people say you should, but wouldn’t the germs from raw meat on the spoon just cook off?

Grace Conroy

How sketchy is gas station sushi really?

Claire Bear

Can you reheat leftovers more than once?

Jena Mena

I just used pasta as an example! I worked in food service for a long time and food temps were obviously very closely watched. And one rule we had was to bring food down to a certain temp before putting it in the fridge. I think it’s supposed to be bad for any food?? Bacteria etc

HazHydro

Does drinking cold water help you purge more quickly? The last thing I feel like doing between vomiting sessions is to consume anything.

Syd

How afraid should I be of a dented can? What is the deal with rice in the fridge?

Fiona McLaughlin

Does rinsing fruits and vegetables actually do anything? If it does, is there a specific way to rinse that makes consumption safer? Is whether or not a product is organic have anything to do with the likelihood of it carrying a foodborne illness?

Isaac Reinhard

Is it possible to get food borne illness from frozen meals? I once ate a veggie frozen meal and got crazy food poisoning symptoms within 30 minutes of eating. For the next two days I was incredibly sick and finally got better.

Isaac Reinhard

When is mold not okay? We eat moldy cheese (bleu cheese) and that’s okay but mold on other foods not okay? Also can bleu cheese become too moldy to a point where it is unsafe?

Martin Weekes

What are some of the biggest fact vs myths that you've come across since doing your research

Yygalnnok

I have a friend who is a very bad cook. Honestly, don't trust anything he prepares. He has made and eaten half cooked chicken, sausages that were well past their expiry date, and left milk out over night and drank it the next morning. He never gets sick. Has be built up his immune system to handle this brutal assault on his system? Is this something that we should all do?

Stephanie

One time my husband and I both got food poisoning from something we both ate. The weird part was his symptoms showed up first, and he’s twice my size. I was taking care of him, feeling fine—up until I didn’t. About 4 hours after him I too had to kneel at the porcelain throne. What determines when food poisoning symptoms hit, and why do they come for some people faster than others?

Anthony Richards

Is there any foodborne illness that does not cause you to release fluids from both ends LOL.

Ricky G!

OKAY PLEASE ANSWER THIS!!!! I once almost died (at least it felt like) after eating Chick-fil-A. I’ll try to keep the story short. Had a Chick-fil-A sandwich for lunch and immediately started to feel gross, had a fever that got worse and worse. A few hours later I can hardly stand, and it’s hard to breathe. I’m on the freeway and my fingers start to lock up around the wheel! My legs straighten out on their own, (at this point I pull over) once I’m pulled over my fingers and arms start curling into my chest like someone who’s brain has just been severely damaged. It stayed like this for around 10 minutes as I was pulled over. I tried calling 911 but couldn’t move my fingers and my speech was so slurred I couldn’t activate Siri. What in the world was this??? It was one of the scariest moments of my life I thought I was going to die.

Sarah Allan

In the current times, what can I eat without being anxious about it killing me? Is anything safe?

Liv

I went to school for Food Justice and was taught that “best by” dates are bogus and put on food items by corporations to encourage more consumption. Flim flam or truth? Will the “expired” ball of mozzarella in my freezer kill me if I eat it?

Tara Nicholson

We leave our salted butter in a drawer so it’s always spreadable. Going on 20 years with no issues.

Tara Nicholson

First time question asker, loooong time listener. I heart Alie Ward and all of her beautiful nerdiness. What is the balance between the hygiene theory where being too clean causes adverse effects and preventing food borne illnesses. It feels like I’m allergic to the practices that extend “shelf life” and food is dead and making us sick. Ie McD’s burger that never molds. Am I over reacting?

Tara Nicholson

How does “funny tummy” work, the supplement that people take when they travel to other countries?

Tara Nicholson

And if they don’t, why are human stomachs so sensitive?

Mike Florek

How concerned should I be about cross-contamination when grilling? Should I clean my tools after putting the raw meat over the fire? Or are they good for the whole venture?

Ann Over

My husband's family used to make homemade ice cream with raw eggs. Yet we're told to not eat cookie or brownie dough. If you buy your eggs from a reliable, refrigerated source, what's the risk? As Kayla said, how often to people get sick from eating raw cookie or brownie dough?

Addie Cappello she her

My friend Santino would like to know: Are FBI really becoming more common than they have been historically or are we being better informed about them thanks to our vast communication abilities?

Storm

when does mold become bad mold? eg mold on soft cheeses is good but at what stage does it become bad, and how can you tell?

Storm

how often is food poisoning actually from the food being bad and not contamination? (i got food poisoning from a chicken burrito and the doctor said it was likely from fecal contamination and im scarred)

Storm

do other animals get food poisoning?

Iris Turner

I have a goat that I milk and my family drinks the milk unpasteurized. We have never gotten sick from it. I would like to hear the ologists opinion on drinking unpasteurized milk. Thanks!

Lisa Gorman

What is the likelihood of getting salmonella or other foodborne illness from raw eggs (e.g. in cookie dough/cake batter/etc)?

Bennett Vanderbosch

What's the riskiest thing to order at a restaurant? I've heard it's the salad!

Lisa Gorman

Is rare steak associated with a higher risk of foodborne illness, or is it ok because the outsides are cooked? I have heard that but it feels a little too good to be true.

Jen Diggity

Has the standard American diet (SAD) and its disastrous affect on the microbiome increased an individual's likelihood of becoming ill if exposed?

Rebecca Morrison

People always seem to say “oh _____ restaurant made me sick”, can anyone really pinpoint a cause that clearly?

kathryn

How can we properly wash our fruits and vegetables to make sure they're safe to eat??

SoManyQuestions

Plus two! I’ve both been told day-old rice is the secret to good fried rice but also that it can kill me. True or not it’s a risk I’ve been willing to take

cinnamonburps

Please tell my family it’s not safe to cut mold off of cheese and keep eating it! Or gently school me if this is, in fact, safe :) First time asking a question! Hi Internet Dad!

LZ

I got Giardia a few years ago (zero stars, do *not* recommend) likely due to eating contaminated blackberries. I’m now very wary of eating store-bought berries because they seem hard to wash very well. Is there any effective way to clean soft berries like blackberries or raspberries or is the only truly safe option to cook them? And if so, for how long?

Annalise De Young

Maybe not in the wheelhouse of the ologist, but why are some foods regulated by the FDA and others by the the USDA? is there rhyme or reason to the way their divided?

SoManyQuestions

And if we need to clean them, at what point? Right after adding the raw meat? After flipping it? After poking it to check it? All of the above? How many grill utensil sets must we own?

Benevolent-ish

Good say I’ve been doing it all my life and no one has gotten sick yet. I’ll be interested to know what the’Ologist says.

Al Hamm

How often is the "stomach flu" and other GI illnesses associated with food borne illness? And since many people don't go too the doctor when it only lasts a couple days or symptoms are mild, how do we predict whether it's food-related?

Ranger France

Are some people better immune to it that others? Does the iron stomach stand true?

Ranger France

Can it be transmitted to others when you're actively sick? My dad made me use a different bathroom and bleach it after I got generic food poisoning as a teenage one time. Thank you, casino pad thai for that one. Ruined medieval times and knotts berry farm for me when we brought my girlfriend on vacation with us. super hot

Ranger France

PLEASE TALK ABOUT BLEEDING BREAD

Ranger France

Whats the difference between norovirus and the bacterial ones (salmonella, E. Coli, Listeria)? They are all put under the Food Poisoning umbrella, but when I was told I had norovirus, it was over so quickly.

Ranger France

how does salmonella and E. Coli even get onto produce, and how do they mitigate it normally in agriculture?

Marc Rubin (edited)

Comment edits

2026-10-13 17:00 Alie, have you or the ologist ever heard of Marvin Zindler, a journalist from Houston, TX whose catchphrase was "slime in the ice machine"? He even had a theme song! https://youtu.be/pLdzba8fXCo?is=RuuoU-TBVbsx3aRi Real question- why must we let leftovers cool to room temperature before refrigerating? Is that even necessary?
2026-10-13 01:18 Alie, have you or the ologist ever heard of Marvin Zindler, a journalist from Houston, TX whose catchphrase was "slime in the ice machine!!"? He even had a theme song! https://youtu.be/pLdzba8fXCo?is=RuuoU-TBVbsx3aRi Real question- why must we let leftovers cool to room temperature before refrigerating? Is that even necessary?

Alie, have you or the ologist ever heard of Marvin Zindler, a journalist from Houston, TX whose catchphrase was "slime in the ice machine!!"? He even had a theme song! https://youtu.be/pLdzba8fXCo?is=RuuoU-TBVbsx3aRi Real question- why must we let leftovers cool to room temperature before refrigerating? Is that even necessary?

Ranger France

Why called salmonella when no salmon?

Ranger France

Is it really the sketchy food trucks we need to be worried about?

Ranger France

Why does it seem very rare for a processed food to be recalled for an outbreak or cause illness?

Paul Aughey

How many people get food-borne illness each year? How do you even count that? Are these all outbreaks?

Renee Wanger

Without agencies being fully funded, how can we as consumers find reliable information about problems that arise? (Wanger rhymes with hanger)

Michaline Todd

Are there signs that a jar of home canned food has botulism? Or do you not know until too late?

Michaline Todd

Are there particular points in the food supply chain that create the most risk? Or does it just depend…

Renee Wanger

I would LOVE for Alie to find an ologist for this!!

Michaline Todd

How do investigators figure out what caused an outbreak? What does the investigation involve? Do you depend on hospitals and doctors to notify officials? Is there a way for folks in the US to self report?

Michaline Todd

What everyday food safety mistake worries you the most? Cross-contamination? Undercooking foods? Improper storage temperature or leaving food out too long? Improper hygiene/bad hand washing…

Staci Pinkowitz

What’s up with the people who are allergic to the skin of fruit because of how it’s handled - does that have to do with contamination?

AlphabetSoup

Is it actually beneficial to wash meat, like poultry, right out of the package before cooking to prevent food borne illnesses? I’ve seen it here and there on the internet and I know there’s a debate on it

AlphabetSoup

Where can we stay up to date on outbreaks of food borne illnesses today (in the context that the fda and cdc has been significantly affected by budget cuts and layoffs)?

HK

Can bacteria responsible for foodborne illness evolve to survive our usual food preservation methods, and could our attempts to make food safer inadvertently select for more resistant strains? Super Salmonella? Godzilla Giardia? Nasty Novovirus? Legendary Listeria?

Susan G

What's the deal with rice? Everyone talks about rice poisoning if you leave rice out to cool before putting it in the fridge or eat cold rice but this seems like an urban legend because I haven't ever heard of anyone I know getting sick and also I eat a lot of rice in all sorts of phases.

Susan K.

I am a state meat safety inspector, and I am fucking PUMPED for all y'all to become nerds like me! If any of ya want to look up meat specific regulations, google 9 CFR and it will bring up the regulations that USDA and state inspection programs follow to keep your meat safe :)

Susan K.

It's from poo.. they spread poo on fields...

Mouse Paxton

Why do some places wash eggs and not others? Are changes to food safety in the US the reason there's been more recalls in Canada now as well? Is Climate Change going to worsen food borne illnesses or is that less of a concern in areas that already have strict regulations? Do you believe ergot poisoning played a role in the Salem witch trials?

Alice Rubin

Do vegetarians avoid more food borne illnesses than omnivores? Are most food borne illnesses because people are gross?

Ara Victor

Is it possible to have a "strong stomach" and be less susceptible to things like food poisoning? my girlfriend grew up somewhere with looser standards for food safety than I did, and once I got horrific food poisoning from some bad cheese, and my gf didn't react to it at all.

Ara Victor

I work in an industrial kitchen and we always use gloves when touching ready to eat food, however I've heard this is not the standard for every state. do gloves make a difference in terms of illness prevention? and how do I cope with the environmental guilt from going through a full box every shift 😭

Susan K.

Listeria is scary AF. I am glad your dad is okay. State inspection programs are still going strong despite the administration. See if your state has its own meat safety program and purchase products from those businesses. Listeria is more of a sanitation issue and is on cooked/ready to eat , while ecoli and salmonella are more of a raw meat issue and are often transmitted by fecal from the source animal during slaughter...there are regulations that each establishment should be doing to prevent growth, and should be doing testing to prove that their process works.

Obilot

Or is it because the leftovers are eaten really soon?!

Sparrow15

The administration has said they are bringing in beef from other countries, where from might still be in Q…. My question is how do we know what conditions that meat has been kept in throughout its journey to American shelves and how might that impact its safety? Does it have to be labeled in a certain way so potential consumers can weigh the likelihood of getting sick?

haille ragusa

How long can my leftovers REALLY sit in the fridge for?

haille ragusa

Am I safer from food poisoning as a vegetarian? Is meat typically more the culprit?

haille ragusa

If I were to get food poisoning - which virus/bacteria is typically the culprit?

haille ragusa

Craziest fact about food borne illnesses? Have any gone extinct ?!?! How did more people not die before fridges

Lydia Meyer

What common food is the worst factor in cross contamination and why is it raw chicken? And how adept are humans in discerning if a food is ‘off’ by the smell? As a super sniffer, I am way quicker to toss foods that don’t pass the sniff test than my husband. Is this why women live longer?

Gardener Gabbi

That's what my mum has always said! Interested to know what the ologists thoughts are on this

Jenna U

How bad is it right now in the US? Basically, what have been the cuts to the monitoring systems meant to protect us and what are the implications?

Han O'Reilly

How do you actually wash fruit/veg? Especially leafy ones. I live in the UK and have to wash most veggies at home - but some of it looks so clean. Am I removing visible clumps or scrubbing everything even if it looks pristine?

Han O'Reilly

Follow up: is ready-washed bagged salad really more dangerous than unwashed?

Gardener Gabbi

Questions from my mum (for context, we had a meal together - hers had wild foraged mushrooms. I tried a bit and was fine. She was violently ill, like food poisoning.) From Alison - Can two people eat the same dish in a restaurant and only one get sick? If you can't eat a specific food after being violently sick after a 3 course meal, does it mean the 1 food item that you now don't want to eat was responsible for your sickness? (Mushrooms - mum now has a very strong aversion to them after being so ill - it's the only thing we have to go off suspecting what made her sick!) Thanks so so much

Deviancy

Why aren’t people getting sick from sushi all the time? Should we be more worried about food cooked at home or at a restaurant/grocery store? Or something like the daily harvest liver failure recall?

ValBeListening

Is it true that if you heat up leftovers, not eat all of it, and throw it back in the fridge that the expiration date will reset?

ValBeListening

Is produce from farmer markets safer than produce grown by big agriculture?

curious chemist

How are things like Bailey's considered shelf stable? Is it the high alcohol content, pH, or something else?

curious chemist

Is the term food poisoning a blanket term for all types of foodborne illnesses?

Robin Kuehn

Is foodborne illness tied to tampering? Do we really need 2-3 extra layers of plastic on every cap?

Marijke Decuir

What are some of the severe complications that can develop from various foodborne illnesses?

Thorpasaurus Jess

I might have to skip this one 😅 I have high anxiety and OCD, and a lot of my anxiety latches onto food. Can’t avoid it, need it to survive, but it feels so vulnerable. Like one mistep and terrible illness is around the corner. Food is terrifying 😅 I guess I am curious if we have any evidence of foodborne illnesses becoming more/less prevalent as our food system has changed. Has a more industrialized system and higher prevalence of processed foods increased the likelihood of spreading illness? Or the other way around?

Thorpasaurus Jess

Pot lucks TERRIFY me 😅 Will not eat at a pot luck.

Thorpasaurus Jess

Is there any data to support whether produce or animal products carry more pathogens? As a long time vegan, I sometimes feel slightly safer not consuming animal products, but this might just be my bias.

Thorpasaurus Jess

Oh!!! Mine with expiration dates are those, “comsume within x number of days after opening”. I used to never read those and presumably ate food long after that deadline, but now with heightened anxiety/mental health issues I always read everything and stick to it closely, even when the food looks/smells fine.

Thorpasaurus Jess

I think it’s just the general reduction in immune capabilities. They’re more vulnerable to any pathogen. I think????

Thorpasaurus Jess

My maternal grandfather and my dad are both people that just eat, ANYTHING. Six months post expiration date? Probably fine. Street vendor? Surely delicious. Suspicious funk or fuzzy bit? Ah rub some dirt on it you’ll be fine. And ya know what, my dad has not barfed since his 21st birthday. (He is now 60), and my grandfather was a few months shy of his 100th birthday, no major illness just died of old age. I know that’s a sample of 2, but can you ask the ologist about the robustness of our modern immune systems? Are we coddling them by not being exposed to more things? Or is it more to do with that my grandfather grew up on a farm and I’m over here eating a vegan steak panini and like none of it is real food? Haha

Splinter

Is it enough to simply rinse fruit and veggies with plain water? When they say "wash before eating" does that mean like with a detergent or something?

Addie Cappello she her

Thanks for that info! Yes, we think it was from the cold cut deli meats outbreak… dad’s in NY and I think that there were definitely implications for the source company. It was crazy.

Addie Cappello she her

I love this- I, too, know people who have iron guts and I am also over here eating vegan…I 💯 tasted the mud pies I made outside as a child and I think also sampled some tree sap so idk if I got some Mother Nature immune blockers early on.. but if I look at a food the wrong way I get sick so… yes please, I second this query for the Ologist!! 😆

Catherine

What is more dangerous or higher risk, consuming raw egg or raw flour?

Vance Christensen

Heaven forbid, but if society collapses and we’re living commune-style with food storage or whatever we’ve got regionally available, what food illness are going to be our biggest worries? Do i need to prep more for parasites or debilitating diarrhea? Will my spoiled food kill me first, or will it be general human sanitation while prepping it?

An owl

What foods do we tend not to realize are potentially unsafe? I've heard from a baker that uncooked flour is a bigger risk than a lot of people think because we almost never eat it without baking it first. What else is like that?

H. R. Pufinstuf

my dad wants to know: “What checks are done at farms outside of US and/or at the border? What percentage of a crop is actually checked/sampled? EU’s ban on chlorinated chicken: what do they know that we do not? Why are eggs chilled in US but on the shelf elsewhere?”

H. R. Pufinstuf

is it safe to eat lettuce and other leafy greens again? what are good ways to keep ourselves safe when living in a country where the government destroyed the food safety regulations? is it true that costco is the company that’s enforcing over 50% of food safety inspections in the united states?

Danielle Zonis

Can you please talk about washing meat in the sink and the spread of things like Salmonella, C.coli, etc?

Danielle Zonis

I'm seeing more and more people (specifically on the internet lol) consuming unpasteurized products, milk being the most common. How dangerous is this?

Andy Pepper

My husband is wondering, what are the pathogenic differences between different lettuce types like whole, hydroponic, and bagged—AND are there fewer pathogens in these in Europe vs. the US?

Andy Pepper

Are there common threads between people with so-called steel stomachs, and are they things the rest of us can do?

Andy Pepper

Can they explain why eggs in Europe aren’t refrigerated (because I think it’s fascinating)?

Andy Pepper

One word: Norovirus. Best prevention strategies???

A softly boiled egg

If the expert does work in contexts with limited resources like humanitarian settings, what are the most essential needs that have to be met for basic food safety? How does their work need to adapt when working in resource-limited places? Also, is it true that plastic cutting boards are less hygienic than wooden ones? I always hear this but never seem to see wooden cutting boards in restaurants

Kelly Shaver

How do you know if blue cheese is expired??

Andy Pepper

Is it true you should throw out the whole loaf of bread even if just part of it is moldy?

Kelly Shaver

Is it true that putting warm food in the fridge can make you sick?

Kelly Shaver

What is with all the people online calling themselves “rebel canners” and water bath canning meats and stuff? Are they trying to die?

Denali

Are there foods that are more prone to botulism than others when canned at home?

Denali

My partner says not to put warm/hot rice into the fridge right away because of food borne illness… is this something i should be worried about? I’ve never gotten sick doing so

CurtisDawg

Frozen cheese pizza is regulated by the FDA. Pepperoni pizza is regulated by the USDA. This is whack! No wonder we get sick.

CurtisDawg

Does the nose know? How accurate is the smell test before eating leftovers? Doesn't nuking food in the microwave kill harmful bacteria?

protect_trans_lives

How can we protect ourselves when government regulations are increasing being scaled back? How can we advocate for policy change?

Elaine Grafelman

What's with all the food restrictions in pregnancy? Is food borne illness more likely when you're pregnant? More dangerous? Is it one of those things where we haven't tested it but don't want to risk anything when it comes to fetuses so the restrictions are just tighter? Or are they just trying to make this pregnant lady feel guilty (you can pry the cookie dough from my cold dead hands)?

ReigningEmily

I guess the main question is just: how fucked are we? Secondly: is there anything we can personally do to be not fucked?

Allison Muller

Definitely excited about Expiry and best by dates.

Allison Muller

I want to know about berry mold and spores. If a case of [insert any berry] has a decent amount of mold, and say maybe the others are just a little soft but have no visible growth is it possible mold spores from the culprit berry have traveled and the whole case should be avoided? I've also heard and done a diluted vinegar soak - does that neutralize things?

Allison Muller

Maybe my first question should just be "Does illness from mold count as a foodborne 'disease'? and how likely is it that you get sick from mold/how much would you have to eat/ is there a term for it if foodborne illness isn't correct.

Bre Snodgrass

Oooh I've been wondering about bread! Like, if you have sliced bread in a plastic bag and one or two slices on the end have mold, is it safe to eat the bread on the other end of the loaf that doesn't visibly have mold? Or is the presence of mold in the contained environment of the plastic bag too risky?

Bre Snodgrass

I had a sanitation class while I was in culinary school, and our instructor told us that in most instances of food-borne illness, people tend to attribute their symptoms to something they ate within the last 24 hours before their symptoms showed up. But in reality, she said that most food-borne illness doesn't present symptoms for multiple days, so it's hard to track down the cause. How true is this? And is it possible for people who ate the same thing to have different reactions? (eg if one person contracts an illness and the other does not, is it still possible that the cause of the illness was a food that both people ate?) -Bre

Meaghan Ratcliffe

is there just like poo particles on everything??

Bre Snodgrass

My partner is in this situation too! Their understanding is that it's common practice in the US (and possibly Canada?) to process wheat with glyphosates, but that is not allowed in the EU or many other places around the world. And so it seems to be a strong sensitivity to residual glyphosates. Some smaller mills in the US (like Cairnspring Mills) specifically do not process their wheat w/glyphosates, so if you're feeling brave, you might try their flour and see if you still get a reaction or not!

Bre Snodgrass

As someone who has worked in the food industry for quite a while (professional kitchens & farming), I'd say the main food safety advantage to purchasing local food is that it's far less likely to have a *widespread* instance of food-borne illness, simply because it's processed on a smaller scale. So with produce recalls, for example, it's often due to a large-scale processing facility experiencing a single contamination (eg one worker does not properly wash their hands after using the restroom, and then e.coli is introduced into a gigantic wash tub of lettuce or fruit). Whereas on a smaller scale, the same instance of a contamination doesn't affect such a large swath of product. A small farm at a farmer's market still has potential to contaminate the produce they're selling at numerous steps along the way...but presuming they have good practices and their workers aren't being pressured to work so fast that they're skipping steps in order to comply with efficiency goals, I'd say it's less likely to make you sick.

Katie Biardi

Are there degrees of severity with food poisoning? And are some people more susceptible than others? Like so some folks have an iron stomach equivalent with food poisoning?

FurbagMD

Ok our doctor agreed with one trump administration move: removing hep A from the list of vaccines required for babies because it’s typically spread only in third world countries. But it’s a food borne illness preventable by vaccine. Is this true? Should we only get it if we travel or should it just be routine like it was before?

Justin Bowen

Shigellosis. The symptoms are as bad as the name. My understanding from a food service course that I took decades ago when I was a teenager working at a local restaurant was that the primary means of transmission in a restaurant setting was not washing one's hands after coming into contact with fecal matter while using the restroom. Basically, disgusting people don't wash their hands and then spread their crap to others via the food. Now, I read a story that infections by way of sexual transmission - as a result of oral contact still with fecal matter - is on the rise and that it's becoming drug resistant. Is there some test like a COVID test that one can use to determine whether they need to keep their mouth shut in certain contexts?

Nick A

What should you do if you think you got sick from eating out? Is it fair to exclude an entire chain for all eternity because of one bad night?

chamomile_moons

Are some people more vulnerable to food poisoning? For example, can someone have chronic food poisoning? If so, what makes that person vulnerable? How can someone tell they have food poisoning?

FurbagMD

What’s one food they would never eat because they know too much? (that way I never eat it again too)

FurbagMD

I would be curious if there’s ACTUALLY more foodborne disease right now with these bozos in office or if it just seems like that

Agegamon

What are some of the strangest places people are or things that people do, where food illness becomes a problem, and what do people to to prevent it? Food-sick astronauts would be bad, though we know (shout out for the astro-gastro episode!) that they're pretty careful and considerate about their food.

bimbolanalovergirl

how do some foods last SO long???? and some i feel go so bad so quickly??

Ted Vician

We can start by putting adults back in charge.

Wandering Wyatt

Came here to ask about incubation period so thanks for mentioning it!

Nursy_nurse

if parasitic infections can modulate the immune system and decrease allergies, is the same true of bacterial illnesses?

Allison Dorsett

Pardon? Because you don't wash them? :O Eggs are washed??? Wait. Please explain.

Allison Dorsett

Omg, I was always told the mycelium *spreads* so if part is mouldy you have to throw the whole food away because you can never see how far it has reached👀 this is an interesting one for sure!

John Conley

I definitely cut around hard cheeses but more processed cheeses and bread I'm too wary of...

John Conley

How worried should I be that my pickled/fermented items will contain botulism? Especially if I try to make myself.

Chelsea

What's up with perpetual stew? I get the idea that it's constantly kept to a temperature that kills of most bacteria, but is it actually safe?

Dr. Lina Carpenter

My understanding is that "best by" and "use by" dates are **not** "if you eat this after this date you're gonna die" -- they're just quality estimates driven by how long a company wants to pay for testing. The sight-smell-taste check has worked for me thus far, but in what situations would it NOT work? What foods should I absolutely not fuck around with unless I want to find out in terrible ways? Can the color or texture of mold on food reliably tell me how "bad" that mold is? What mold do I need to be most worried about? At what points in the food production & transportation processes are foods checked for foodborne diseases & contamination? Would checks for foreign objects etc. occur before foodborne illnesses were tested for, or is the order of checking more random? Can the ologist lay out what the regulatory situation was 5yrs ago versus what it is now? What parts of food checking & regulation are the most heavily impacted, and which parts of checking & regulation should we focus on maintaining or rebuilding to optimize food safety?

Shay-Nuh

Plus three! I swear this happened to me last year.

Sam & Liz

What are the best ways to avoid foodborne illnesses in a way that is still affordable and accessible? Unfortunately, fresh, local produce is often more expensive than a standard grocery store, and it's more difficult to make time to go to a farmers market that only happens once a week and may be further away.

Johnny Knight

Hi Alie! First time question asker. In the spring of 1999, I got salmonella. My body gave me the full flush-out for a week. It was bad. I went to the doctor, they did their tests, and a few days later the doctor called to tell me that they found salmonella in my sample. I was feeling better by that time, so I was like, "Okay." Not much I could do about it at that point. A few days after that, I got a call from the health department. They said, "Hey, we heard you had salmonella. Can you answer a few questions?" They got me to retrace my steps to figure out where it came from. We concluded I'd gotten the bacteria from some scrambled egg whites. They asked me where and when I bought them, thanked me politely, and we hung up. My question is: What happened then? Did the health department track down where the tainted egg whites originated? Did they contact the egg factory? Did they take them off the shelves of stores? Did anybody from quality control get a stern talking to? What are the dominoes that fall, start to finish, when a foodborne illness is identified?

Ash

How big of a deal are restaurant health inspection results? Some people on my city’s Reddit are SUPER obsessed with tracking it…should I care like they do?

Colin Rowbottom

How do investigators pin down the source of Cyclospora when the contaminated food is long gone by the time people get sick? From my understanding, Cyclospora can’t be grown in a lab and there’s not a reliable way for finding it on produce.

Splinter

As raw cookie dough is one of the basic food groups, I hope it isn't possible to get sick from it. That would mess up my carefully planned diet program...

Clara Rose

Would love to learn about weird ancient remedies or folklore surrounding food borne illness

Maija Herbst

i have a corned beef roast in a slow cooker on warm for the last 2 days. i have eaten it with no probles. will i experience these problems?? was this even a good idea

Katy

Yes, I need good guidance on this too! The balance between too hot to put in the fridge because it'll warm up the rest of the fridge/spoil other food and how long you can safely let it sit on the counter to cool confuses me.