Bacteria found in Bottle Mineral water

[briarrose]

Thought you guys might want to read this. I'm always buying cases of bottled water because I carry it with me everywhere. I'm sure many of you do too.

Bacteria Found in Bottled Mineral Water

Bottled Water May Not Be Safer Than Tap Water in Reducing Risk of Infection

By Jennifer Warner

WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD

on Thursday, November 04, 2004

Nov. 4, 2004 -- Choosing bottled mineral water over tap may not offer more protection against potentially hazardous bacteria, according to new research.

Dutch researchers sampled bottled mineral water from 16 countries, not including the U.S., and found about 40% of the samples showed evidence of contamination with either bacteria or fungi. In laboratory cultures, bacteria grew from 21 of the 68 samples.

Researchers say the high levels of bacterial contamination in commercially bottled mineral water may pose a health threat to certain people, such as children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems such as people with cancer, kidney failure requiring dialysis, diabetes, or AIDS.

The findings were presented this week at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in Washington, D.C.

Bottled Mineral Water May Not Be Safer to Drink

Researchers say people with weakened immune systems who are hospitalized are often given bottled mineral water under the assumption that it is not contaminated and therefore safer to drink than tap water.

But the results show that there is still a risk of infection from common illness-causing bacteria, such as legionella, from bottled mineral water. Infection with legionella bacteria can lead to a serious, pneumonia-like condition called Legionnaires' disease.

In their study, researcher Rocus Klont, of the University Medical Center Nijmegen in the Netherlands, and colleagues analyzed bottled water from nine European countries and seven others, including Canada, Australia, and Mexico.

They found all of the bottles appeared to have been properly sealed, which eliminated the possibility of contamination after bottling.

Laboratory tests showed 37% of the samples had evidence for contamination with bacteria, including legionella, and 4% had evidence of fungal contamination.

[MomtoGiuliana]

Thanks for this. It is important to keep in mind as well that bottled water does not have to meet other contaminant standards either, that are required of tap water under the Safe Drinking Water Act. In this country, you are generally better off drinking from your tap. I think that water bottled in Canada has to meet stricter standards, though. Anybody know about this?

[Guest tearose]

Thanks for the info. Now I'm wondering if the filter on my cold water tap needs to be checked too. It's amazing we survive! tearose

[Merrill]

One thing to keep in mind for those of us living in the US -- most of us are buying bottled spring water (sourced and bottled in the US). The article discusses mineral water, bottled elsewhere ... Be careful, out there ... but don't throw out all your bottled water yet!

(We probably risk contamination when we reuse/refill our bottles and/or share them with others! Sigh. One more thing to worry about!)

[Herdswoman]

No worries. That's why God put hydrochloric acid in our stomachs. He's always one step ahead of us.