When you sit down at a restaurant, the server usually asks if you’d prefer flat water, sparkling water, or lemon water. While a slice of lemon seems like the perfect, refreshing, and healthy choice, you might want to rethink that order. According to multiple scientific studies, the lemon wedge in your restaurant water is hiding a rather unpleasant secret.
We already know that restaurants, despite their best efforts, aren’t always the cleanest environments. But when it comes to the humble lemon garnish, the reality is surprisingly gross. Here is why you should stick to enjoying your lemon water in the comfort of your own home, and how to make it safely.
🍋 The Shocking Science: What’s Really on Your Lemon?
It’s easy to assume that the bright acidity of a lemon would naturally kill off any bacteria. Unfortunately, that’s a myth when it comes to the outside of the rind. Researchers have looked closely at restaurant lemon wedges, and the findings are enough to make you put your glass down.
The ABC News Investigation
In a revealing investigation, ABC News set out to find the 10 germiest places in a typical restaurant. When they swabbed the lemon wedges sitting on the counter and in the water glasses, the results were startling: 50% of the lemons tested were tainted with human fecal matter.
How does this happen? The cameras caught employees grabbing lemons with their bare hands, without using gloves or tongs. If a staff member hadn’t washed their hands thoroughly after using the restroom, handling raw meat, or taking out the trash, those germs were transferred directly to the fruit you’re about to drop into your drink.
The Journal of Environmental Health Study
If that wasn't enough, another rigorous study published in the Journal of Environmental Health took a closer look. Researchers tested 76 lemons from 21 different restaurants. They discovered that almost 70% of the lemons were covered in microbes and pathogenic bacteria, including E. coli, which can cause severe gastrointestinal distress, as well as various strains of fungi and yeast.
🦠 Why Are Restaurant Lemons So Dirty?
You might be wondering how a piece of fruit ends up harboring so many germs. It comes down to a few common restaurant practices:
