Öko-Test has examined natural mineral waters for impurities and pollutants. Most did well, with two types being penalized.
Some prefer tap water, others swear by mineral water – both are considered to be of high quality in Germany. According to the legislature, natural mineral water comes from “underground water sources protected from contamination” and must be of “original purity”. This is what it says in Paragraph 2 of the Mineral and Table Water Ordinance.
However, unhealthy substances can also occur naturally in the soil. In addition, there is the risk of pesticides, the degradation products of which can end up in sources. The consumer magazine has therefore investigated how purely natural bottled mineral waters really are.
No risk to health
The testers sent 50 different varieties to the laboratory to examine them for harmful substances and impurities. The overall result is very positive: only two test candidates were rated “poor”, and the eco testers even recommend every second mineral water as “very good” despite their strict criteria.
The testers found questionable ingredients such as boron, uranium, nitrate and chromate in a total of six test candidates, and pesticide degradation products were detected in nine waters. However, the substances were only contained in very small quantities. Health impairments are unlikely with all the values determined, writes Ökotest. The values were highest in the Marius Quelle Classic (boron) and in San Benedetto (chromate). Both waters were punished with “poor”.
Öko-Test has a reputation for looking very carefully at ingredients and being significantly stricter than the legal requirements require. The last mineral water test last year led to outraged outcry from the industry and a discussion about the test methods. (Read an interview with an expert on the debate here.) A mineral water test by Stiftung Warentest – which has nothing to do with Öko-Test – last year gave grades between “very good” and “satisfactory”.
Plastic bottles without recyclate devalued
In the current comparison, Öko-Test not only included pollutants and impurities in the water, but also environmentally harmful packaging. If the water was bottled in non-recyclable PET bottles, this resulted in deductions from the grade.
Ökotest also sees a potential problem with the issue of microplastics. The data on possible risks is still so thin that microplastics in the water were not included in the assessment. Nevertheless, the testers had water filled in both pet and glass bottles examined for it. Result: microplastics were found in both types of packaging. “Although the laboratory experts analyzed fewer pet particles in water from glass bottles, they analyzed more other microplastics overall.”
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
