A lemon wedge looks harmless floating in a glass of water. It suggests freshness and a little extra care. Most people never question it. That slice, however, often travels a long path before it reaches the table. It moves from delivery crates to kitchen counters, from cutting boards to knives and hands. Unlike cooked food, it never meets heat that would kill bacteria. It is served raw, handled quickly, and often cut in batches during the busiest hours of the day.

The problem is not the fruit itself. Lemons are not inherently unsafe. The risk comes from how often they are touched. Studies that swabbed restaurant lemon slices have found bacteria on many of them because the wedges pass through so many surfaces.