I always order water with lemon when I eat out, but I may be sticking to just plain water now that I’ve seen the results of an investigation Good Morning America did. GMA tested lemon wedges from three sets of chain restaurants: Applebee’s, TGI Fridays, and Chili’s… and ewwww, I’m grossed out by what they found!
GMA went to a total of six restaurants, all in New Jersey. They swabbed each lemon they were served then sent the samples to a microbiology lab at New York University’s Medical Center.
The lab found yeast and harmless bacteria that are commonly found on fruits and in our environment. But four of the samples were also contaminated with fecal matter, including one sample with E. coli.
Is it enough to make you sick? The lab director says it’s a small risk – but it’s still a risk and just the thought of it is enough to make me sick – it is so very gross!
GMA found the lemons from both of the Applebee’s and TGI Friday’s restaurants had fecal matter. The one with E. coli was from the Applebee’s in Clifton, New Jersey. The lemons from both Chili’s locations were free of fecal matter or E. coli.
Representatives from TGI Fridays and Applebee’s tell GMA they are taking this very seriously. You can read statements from both chains here.
Of course, these restaurants aren’t alone. Last year, a New Jersey microbiologist tested lemons at 21 restaurants and found disease-causing bacteria on two-thirds of them, including fecal bacteria. Nice.
I guess you could just squeeze the lemon juice into your drink and toss the rest of the lemon instead of putting the whole slice in your drink. Or just skip the lemon… and the nasty germs altogether. What will you do?
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