A glass of ice water with a fresh lemon wedge seems harmless—and for many people, it’s a refreshing addition to a restaurant meal. But researchers and food-safety experts have pointed out something diners rarely consider: the lemon sitting on the rim of your glass may have picked up microorganisms before it ever reached your table.
Lemons can pass through several hands during transportation, storage, washing, slicing, and serving. Restaurant workers may also handle the fruit while preparing other foods, and sliced lemons can come into contact with cutting boards, knives, containers, or surfaces. Studies examining restaurant lemon wedges have found microorganisms on some samples. That sounds alarming, but there’s an important distinction between detecting bacteria on a lemon and proving that the lemon will actually make someone sick. So how concerned should you really be?
THE STORY CONTINUES ON THE NEXT PAGE… 👇👇👇
