They may seem harmless, but a simple lemon slice in your drink can increase your chances of contracting an infectious disease. It doesn't have anything to do with lemons themselves but has more to do with what is on them at restaurants. As a result, people have been discussing the correct and incorrect way of slicing a lemon. It turns out that proper hygiene when handling a lemon can decrease your chances of being exposed to dangerous microbes.
SHARE this warning with your friends on Facebook. Just about everyone puts a lemon slice in their drink.
It's common practice in restaurants to include lemon slices in drinks, and sometimes certain dishes.
Lemon has been associated with a laundry list of potential health benefits as of late, so it may come as a surprise to hear that they can also put your health at risk.
Researchers took samples of lemon slices from 21 different restaurants in an effort to find out if they pose a risk to patrons.
What the analysis of microbes on the slices found might scare you a bit...
70% of the samples had microbial growth.
The analysis also revealed that the samples included 25 different species of microbes. You might be thinking to yourself, "but everything is covered in germs!" Unfortunately, you would be wrong to think that these microbes can't pose a risk to your health.
One of the researchers explained, "The microbes found on the lemon samples in our investigation all have the potential to cause infectious diseases at various body sites, although the likelihood was not determined in this study."
Why are they so dirty?
Most of the risk comes from the way that lemons are handled before being sliced and distributed to patrons. Unsanitary handling can lead to a build-up of dangerous microbes on the surface of the lemons.
The researchers also added that restaurant patrons should be aware that lemon slices added to beverages "may include potentially pathogenic microbes."
So the next time you order a glass of water when you sit down at a restaurant, think twice about adding lemon.
You never know, you may be avoiding a whole world of hurt. Luckily, if you're at home and need to slice a lemon, there are a few ways to avoid consuming dirty lemons that can clear up this threat.
First, you'll want to properly wash the lemon.
You shouldn't slice first and then rinse as germs may go into the flesh of the lemon.
On a clean surface, slice your lemons.
It's important to wash your hand after this process as microbes from the unwashed lemon can still be on your skin.
It's important not to slice lemons before washing them.
When it comes to dangerous lemon slices from restaurants, it's quite likely, in the hustle and bustle of the kitchen, that the lemons aren't handled in a sanitary fashion.
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