Personal Injury Law

Would You Like Bacteria With Your Tea?

By Jane Akre

The next time you get a slice of lemon on the side of your glass of iced tea, you might want to rethink that refreshing squeeze.  

A study finds that lemon wedges are contaminated with bacteria.

The study is limited to 21 restaurants that students at Passasic County Community College surveyed.

Microbiologist Anne Loving says it was disgusting.

"The very first sample was loaded with fecal bacterial," she says. In all 25 different microorganisms were found including staph bacteria.   

Whether it came from dirty fingertips or a contaminated knife with meat juice, Loving says she now tosses that lemon wedge away.

Restaurant workers are supposed to use tongs or gloves in handing food. Otherwise it's a violation of the health code.  But generally no one knows what goes on beyond the restaurant door, not unless they are a curious microbiologist.

"It's not necessarily cause for alarm but you might want to be aware that the lemon slice can make you sick," she says in a YouTube video. #

Full post as published by InjuryBoard on February 15, 2008 (boomark / email).