Nasty, Dirty Lemons?

I have to go to the dentist this morning, so I'm still home (yea: short day at work). This means I get to catch some Good Morning America. They are talking about how dirty lemons are when you have them in your drinks at restaurants.

They tested lemon wedges from different places, and found typical germs and bacteria that are often found on fruits. But, some of them had fecal matter on them! Gross. Imagine squeezing that into your drink, and then leaving the wedge in your drink. Yuck.

They say go ahead and squeeze the juice into your drink, but leave the wedge out.

Restaurant employees should wear gloves when cutting the lemons. They should wear gloves whenever they touch the lemons (but this often doesn't happen). If you get a lemon wedge that is speared with a little plastic toothpick, chances are it is a bit cleaner.

Guess I'm done getting lemon with my water! How about you?

Comments: 9

Adelaide M. Jun 12, 2008, 10:52am EDT

yuck. I usually get soft drinks anyway, but that's disgusting.

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jennifer b. Jun 12, 2008, 10:52am EDT

Thanks, I think I will skip the lemons from now on...

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Elaine K. Jun 12, 2008, 11:12am EDT

I had already started skipping the lemons in my water. For people with low immunity, even a tiny bit of bacterial can be a real killer!

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Kelly K ~ ready for the New Year ~ Jun 12, 2008, 11:20am EDT

yep, our local news did a test on lemons from resturaunts. only a few of them
wore gloves when cutting or serving lemons. I dont get lemon anymore.

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Marilyn M. Jun 12, 2008, 12:06pm EDT

I heard that months ago. Yuck. No lemons for me.

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Barbara B. Jun 12, 2008, 12:20pm EDT

I get lemon in my tea, but I squeeze the lemon juice and lay it on a napkin or something. My mom worked in the fields and in the groves in Oklahoma and California as a girl and they didn't provide places for them to wash their hands. I don't think that has changed even in our modern times. The field hands, usually from Mexico, will go and do their business, if you know what I mean, and then head back to the crops to gather the yield. I don't think they wash their hands, do you? If anyone has any information on hygiene used in the fields, please post it. I'd really like to know about this.

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Amy H. Jun 13, 2008, 1:19am EDT

Thank you for submitting your content to:
The group: We Comment Back

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Kay S. Jun 13, 2008, 11:55am EDT

One must wash everything throughly, and I do mean thoroughly. I love lemons and we use them often, but I put them in a glass bowl, cover them with water, let them sit there for a while, and then spray and spray with cold water. So far, we haven't gotten ill (or worse, died!).

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Nasty, Dirty Lemons?

Comments: 9

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