Feb 26, 2008 11:30 pm US/Eastern
Dirty Lemons In Restaurants Pose Health Risks
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
A slice of lemon is one of the most popular additions to beverages, but can it make customers sick?
According to new research, fecal bacteria has been found on lemons used in some restaurants.
"I would categorize that as pretty disgusting," said New Jersey microbiologist Anne Lagrange Loving.
Loving took samples from lemon wedges at 21 restaurants. As soon as the drinks were served she tested the lemons.
"One swab along the rind then one swab along the flesh," she said.
Loving found that 70 percent of the samples had micro-organisms, including E.coli, bacteria from human skin, and from saliva.
"Any of these organisms could make you sick, could make you very sick," she said.
The research does not indicate exactly how the bacteria got on the lemons but Dr. Loving has a few theories.
"It could have come from dirty fingers of the wait staff or the kitchen help," she said. "It could have come from cutting boards, for example, if they were cutting meat and then cut the lemons on the same boards."
The Union Street Restaurant in Newton takes steps to make sure its customers are safe.
The fruit has its own cutting board and knife and the employees have gloves on their hands while they work.
The lemons are kept in a covered holder and the staff uses tongs to pick up the wedges.
Now, as far as we know, there have been no documented cases of someone getting sick from having a lemon wedge in their beverage. That said, the potential to get sick is there.
It's not known if the bacteria was spread to the glass or the drink itself since only the lemons themselves were tested.
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