Mineral water is not pure enough

2002/04/08 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Mikrobiologia
• Osasuna

Researchers from the Swiss Food Laboratory Solothurn have detected Norwalk virus in 11 of the 29 mineral water brands that are marketed in European stores. These small round structure viruses are responsible for 90% of stomach aches.

The main symptoms of the infection are nausea, diarrhea and discomfort, while the viruses cause gastroenteritis with greater effects. Normally the infection occurs through contaminated salads and seafood, as well as uncontrolled water. In addition, there is also virus in the excrements of infected humans.

The mineral water industries demand the purity of the water they sell and a debate is opened on the study carried out in the Swiss laboratory. The researchers recognize that they do not know if the water has been contaminated in the source itself or in the bottling process, or if the virus is a danger to health, since they have not measured the infectious capacity of the samples. Now, one year after the review, nine out of ten bottles with viruses were infected. Apparently, the viruses have around them a protective layer of proteins that are those that allow to infect the viruses.

The RT-PCR virus detection technique has also been used. This allows to obtain a large number of copies of the genetic material present in the sample, so even if there is a small amount of virus, the RNA of the virus is easily detected. However, according to industrialists, the technique is not adequate to detect water pollution.

If it was already known that tap water is equal to or better than bottled water, now it has been revealed the need to analyze and control the cleaning of mineral waters that are marketed.