Lemons: Poop on 'em...

[Martha]

I don't believe this study.

First, I'll bet that the lemons are no dirtier nor cleaner than anything else from the restaurant. That just happened to be the only thing tested, from what I read. Take cultures from anything, and you're going to get results like this.

Second, the media just loves stories like this. Other recent ones: Hotel remote controls and bedspreads, sponges (must change every month), etc. I'm sure that you can culture some bacteria from this stuff, but I'm not convinced that there's enough there to cause illness except in rare cases. Could be wrong.

I'm a card-carrying germophobe, but I think the thing that's worth being careful about is cold viruses from shaking hands or touching things.

It looks like most e coli is not bad, some is kinda bad, and some is vicious. E. coli: Dangers of eating raw or undercooked foods - MayoClinic.com

 

[REWahoo]

Highest concentration of urine in a mens room is the mint dish.

Doncha just hate it when you see some idiot peeing in that dish? What are they thinking!

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Pretty small urinal cakes...

 

[Donzo]

Number 2...

From what I've been reading - it's number 1 and number 2

 

[tightasadrum]

One of the reason I hate to eat out is that my sorry digestive system is so sensitive to bacteria. If they've got it, I know it, and real soon. In fact, there are places I don't eat at anymore because of that in spite of what the inspection sign says over the cash register. I agree with HA, lemon is probably just the canary in the mine.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I remember Rich saying something about a fecal test someone did in a hospital or lab and after a few weeks they found the stuff was on practically every surface everywhere in the vicinity.

So if the restaurant has a bathroom...

Oh and as an aside, never take a blacklight into your bathroom. I use one to find the occasional cat pee spot but it highlights any organic matter. In case you dont feel like buying one to check it out, just wash everything from eye level on down.

 

[W2R]

Well... assuming there is a restaurant lemon causal situation. What happened?

1. The restaurants did not was the lemons before serving them?
2. The restaurants are so filthy that they cannot set the washed lemons anywhere without picking up bacteria and poop?
3. The cook's helper didn't (or couldn't) read those signs saying that employees should wash their hands after using the restroom! Then he sliced up some lemons and prepared your salad.

If it is situation 2... wouldn't that apply to just about any food? Yuk!

So now, I wonder what the health department requires for a grade "A" designation, if they still grade restaurants. Come to think of it, I don't recall seeing one of those decals lately. I'll look for one today when Frank takes me out for lunch.

 

[W2R]

I remember Rich saying something about a fecal test someone did in a hospital or lab and after a few weeks they found the stuff was on practically every surface everywhere in the vicinity.

Hospitals can become extremely unsanitary places very quickly because of all the humanity and illness that passes through. I worked in one many years ago (as a surgical ward clerk while in school), and despite the orderlies mopping the floors thoroughly with Lysol on a daily basis and so on, there were still problems out on the floors.

 

[Donzo]

6 ingredients for a green, clean home - At Home on Shine

Hmmmmmmm - just don't get your lemons from Hooters........

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Hmm Hooters .. Makes my mouth water for some fecal free wings.

 

[Ronstar]

fecal is strong stuff. We are working on getting a small subdivision of vacant property approved next to a chemical plant shut down by the epa for releasing contaminants. The ground water on the proposed subdivision was checked for chemical contaminants - none were found, but fecal coliform was found in the sample.

 

[Khan]

fecal is strong stuff. We are working on getting a small subdivision of vacant property approved next to a chemical plant shut down by the epa for releasing contaminants. The ground water on the proposed subdivision was checked for chemical contaminants - none were found, but fecal coliform was found in the sample.

With ~7 billion people and all the associated cats dogs pigs sheep cattle chickens...; how could one not find e-coli everywhere?

 

[Nords]

Highest concentration of urine in a mens room is the mint dish. Second highest is the door handle on the inside.

Thanks, I think I'll stick to eating the mints from the dish by the cash register...

Did you ever wonder about the parties where you saw the bathroom door open, and someone would come out holding a full bottle of Corona?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

An upgrade vs actual corona?

 

[TromboneAl]

Highest concentration of urine in a mens room is the mint dish.

Hold on a second. A mint dish in the men's room? I have never been in a men's room that served food. Is this some super high class thing??

 

[CCdaCE]

Didn't the Mythbusters do a "scientific test" on the 2 second rule. In the same episode, they tested toothbrushes and other things from bathrooms. Everything had e-coli on it. Doesn't mean you die from it, or even get sick. Test your own toothbrush. Betcha there's some on there. The stuff is everywhere.

-CC

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Yeah, the fancy mens rooms in restaurants and hotels that have attendants often have a little dish of mints.

Places a certified tightwad who reuses holey wood in new projects would never visit

 

[Nords]

Yeah, the fancy mens rooms in restaurants and hotels that have attendants often have a little dish of mints.
Places a certified tightwad who reuses holey wood in new projects would never visit

Maybe he was just a little more selective in his employers!

 

[Urchina]

Before I became a stay-at-home mom, I was a health inspector for our county. I spent about 50% of my time doing restaurant and food facility inspections (supermarkets, convenience stores, etc.). People, I can tell you that you do not want to know what happens in those kitchens or bathrooms. I inspected hundreds of restaurants and I never had one without a violation of some kind.

Want2Retire, usually an "A" grade is only given for a facility that does NOT have a major violation during an inspection. Major violations are ones that pose imminent risk to health, and include lack of handwashing, improper temperature control, sewage in the facility (this happens a lot, when places clog up their floor sinks and the drains back up), cross-contamination (my favorite was 100lbs of raw lamb thawing on a drainboard that drained into a sink full of lettuce being washed), pest infestation (rodents, flies,), food adulteration (rat droppings in the flour, etc.), etc. Each jurisdiction is different; our jurisdiction doesn't give grades but the reports are supposed to be public. Ask for one, but not for one at your favorite restaurant. Seriously.

And as for people not washing their hands because they can't read the signs -- it's got nothing to do with literacy. They're not washing their hands because their manager and co-workers aren't, either, and because there's no soap or hot water or paper towels (those cost money). Oh, and because the cheap *ss owner of the restaurant won't pony up $500 to put a handwashing sink in the kitchen and food prep area, so to wash their hands they've got to go to the bathroom, which is covered with, you guessed it.. e. coli.

Sigh. Rant over.

It was an awesome job, by the way. If you hate an office and you can get along well with people in tense situations, check it out. I spent the other 50% of my time out in the sticks doing well seals, septic installation inspections and swimming pool inspections. Usually out of cell phone range and in some beautiful areas.

 

[MikeD]

Oh, I Remember Those - They were Fun

but fecal coliform was found in the sample.

Little sticky colored pieces of plastic...oh, wait a minute.

 

[Khan]

Inspired by this report, the local TV station did a 'lemon report'.

If you're really concerned about e-coli, stay away from anyone who changes diapers.

 

[SteveR]

Ok, time for a quick lesson on fecal coliforms.

E.coli is what is known as an indicator microorganism. E. coli is a normal and natural inhabitant in mammals other animals. When you test water or food for the "possibility" of having other not so nice bacteria present (pathogens) which can and do make you sick. Some strains of E. coli can also make you sick but most are harmless normally.

E. coli is an indicator that human or other animal poop has contaminated the item being tested. The theory is that if E. coli is there then the other nasty bugs might also be there. Sewage is normally treated to kill off E. coli and the other nasty bugs in both sewage systems and drinking water. But, if somebody does doody and touches their pooper and does not wash their hands well (or at all ) then what ever they touch after that can be contaminated with said poop.

Anything that grows in the environment (fruit, vegis, cows, etc.) can become contaminated with just about anything that is in the environment. Most of this in limited to the outside of the item (except cows which create their own interior contamination). Processing plants generally treat the outside of these items with chlorinated water to reduce the contamination on the outside. But, if the forementioned non-handwashing doody dude uses untreated water to wash the fruit or if it gets contaminated in the food distribution system they the bugs will get back on the outside of the item...in this case the lemon peel.

To avoid all bacteria is impossible. If you are concerned your lemon is tainted then either refuse it and hope they actually washed your glass in hot soapy water or carry you own lemons which you maintained in a hermetically sealed container after thorough sanitization in a 7 % bleach-water solution for 10 minutes.

Or, don't worry about it. More than likely you have ingested lots and lots of E. coli over the years and never knew it. Being micro-phobic can make you sick.

 

[Nords]

It was an awesome job, by the way. If you hate an office and you can get along well with people in tense situations, check it out. I spent the other 50% of my time out in the sticks doing well seals, septic installation inspections and swimming pool inspections. Usually out of cell phone range and in some beautiful areas.

Sounds like being a member of the Navy's Operational Reactor Safeguards Exam board.

Except for the "awesome" and "beautiful" parts, that is. But there was definitely swimming in pools of stuff.

 

[FinanceDude]

Inspired by this report, the local TV station did a 'lemon report'.

If you're really concerned about e-coli, stay away from anyone who changes diapers.

Forget e-coli, there's Norovirus in those diapers........

 

[FinanceDude]

Ok, time for a quick lesson on fecal coliforms.

E.coli is what is known as an indicator microorganism. E. coli is a normal and natural inhabitant in mammals other animals. When you test water or food for the "possibility" of having other not so nice bacteria present (pathogens) which can and do make you sick. Some strains of E. coli can also make you sick but most are harmless normally.

E. coli is an indicator that human or other animal poop has contaminated the item being tested. The theory is that if E. coli is there then the other nasty bugs might also be there. Sewage is normally treated to kill off E. coli and the other nasty bugs in both sewage systems and drinking water. But, if somebody does doody and touches their pooper and does not wash their hands well (or at all ) then what ever they touch after that can be contaminated with said poop.

Anything that grows in the environment (fruit, vegis, cows, etc.) can become contaminated with just about anything that is in the environment. Most of this in limited to the outside of the item (except cows which create their own interior contamination). Processing plants generally treat the outside of these items with chlorinated water to reduce the contamination on the outside. But, if the forementioned non-handwashing doody dude uses untreated water to wash the fruit or if it gets contaminated in the food distribution system they the bugs will get back on the outside of the item...in this case the lemon peel.

To avoid all bacteria is impossible. If you are concerned your lemon is tainted then either refuse it and hope they actually washed your glass in hot soapy water or carry you own lemons which you maintained in a hermetically sealed container after thorough sanitization in a 7 % bleach-water solution for 10 minutes.

Or, don't worry about it. More than likely you have ingested lots and lots of E. coli over the years and never knew it. Being micro-phobic can make you sick.

You sound like a microbiologist.........