Forget the Lemon!
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From: Altamonte Springs, FL
Forget the Lemon!
Just in time for the lunch hour! 
Contaminated lemons in your water? From a history of working in the restaurant industry, the below link actually does not surprise me. A microbioligist and her team tested lemons on every drink they ordered in 21 restaurants and found that the majority of them contained harmful bacteria, including fecal bacteria! Ew!! 
Don't Touch That Lemon (or Lime)!
Now before everyone starts posting barfing smileys the likelyhood of the fruit containing enough of the bacteria to make you ill is probably minut as we are probably exposed to such bacteria on a daily basis, but the risk is there. However, I'm not a microbiologist so I'll leave those estimates to them. 
As to the possible reasons as to how they obtain the microrganisms, it is most likely from the handling them with their bare hands over the cutting. It is against health codes and it is inspected that meats are cut separately and upon diffrent cutting boards than fruit and vegetables and easy to maintain. However a server's/bartender's hands will touch dirty dishes, clean tables, touch trash, pick up drinks and alcoholic beverages, and touch people no matter how many times they wash their hands.
Contaminated lemons in your water? From a history of working in the restaurant industry, the below link actually does not surprise me. A microbioligist and her team tested lemons on every drink they ordered in 21 restaurants and found that the majority of them contained harmful bacteria, including fecal bacteria! Ew!! Don't Touch That Lemon (or Lime)!
Now before everyone starts posting barfing smileys
the likelyhood of the fruit containing enough of the bacteria to make you ill is probably minut as we are probably exposed to such bacteria on a daily basis, but the risk is there. However, I'm not a microbiologist so I'll leave those estimates to them. As to the possible reasons as to how they obtain the microrganisms, it is most likely from the handling them with their bare hands over the cutting. It is against health codes and it is inspected that meats are cut separately and upon diffrent cutting boards than fruit and vegetables and easy to maintain. However a server's/bartender's hands will touch dirty dishes, clean tables, touch trash, pick up drinks and alcoholic beverages, and touch people no matter how many times they wash their hands.
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Bradenton, Florida
I am a microbiologist and event though bacteria are present they do not address what quantity. Described as "loaded" not a scientific term. Fecal coliforms are merely an indicator that there may be disease causing organisms. If you drank a liter of water that had 1000 ccoliforms present TOTAL, you might have a slight chance of getting sick. The story did not state the types found or their numbers and there are naturally occuring organisms found on the surface of lemon anyway.
BTW the peel oils and the acidity probably render the bacteria nearly harmless by injuring the cells which then would have to pass through the acid in your stomach.
There are many other more dangerous things to worry about....trust me. The next flu pandemic for one.
BTW the peel oils and the acidity probably render the bacteria nearly harmless by injuring the cells which then would have to pass through the acid in your stomach.
There are many other more dangerous things to worry about....trust me. The next flu pandemic for one.
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From: Ocala
Originally Posted by wildcardtrd,Feb 13 2008, 01:04 PM
I'm drinking a NOS from the fancy blue bottle...343mg of caffeine. My heart hurts...