The slice of lemon: bacteria in your cocktails

Do you like the refreshing touch that a slice of lemon brings to your drinks or cocktails? Be careful, a study tells us that it could be a breeding ground for bacteria!

The study was published by the "Journal of Environmental Health Study" and carried out from the analysis of 76 lemons from 21 restaurants. The result of the study showed that 53 of these 76 lemons were contaminated by microbes or bacteria, or almost 70%.

Food would likely be contaminated upon contact with the hands of employees already infected with human fecal matter, contaminated raw meat or poultry. The study specifies that the food could have already arrived contaminated in the restaurants.

In this published study, we find names of well-known microbes and bacteria such as Bacillus, Subtilis or... E. Coli! Specialists indicate that although lemon has anti-microbial properties, microorganisms can survive in it.

Risks

Philip Tierno, professor of microbiology and pathology at the Langone Medical Center of New York University, still wants to reassure by telling the Huffington Post that the chances of getting sick remain low.