High bacterial rates found in bottled water

May 27, 2010

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Tue May 25, 10:44 AM

MONTREAL (CBC) - More than 70 per cent of bottled water samples from

Canada contain bacterial rates that far exceed recommended limits in the U.S.,

according to a study presented Tuesday at the general meeting of the

American Society of Microbiology in San Diego.

" Heterotrophic bacteria counts in some of the bottles were found to be in

revolting figures of 100 times more than the permitted limit, " said Sonish

Azam, a researcher on the study. Heterotrophic bacteria are a category

which includes all bacteria that survive by consuming organic matter.

Montreal-based C-crest Laboratories Inc. conducted the research after a

company employee complained of a foul taste and illness after drinking some

bottled water.

The U.S. bacterial limit is no more than 500 colony-forming units of

bacteria per millimetre of water. The Canadian test samples showed results of

more than 50,000 heterotrophic units.

Health Canada hasn't set a safe bacterial limit for bottled water.

Researchers from the lab gathered samples of several major brands of

bottled water from Montreal stores and tested the bacterial levels.

They also tested samples of Canadian tap water and found the levels around

170 colony-forming units per millimetre of water well below what was found

in the bottled water.

" Despite having the cleanest tap water, a large number of Canadians are

switching over to bottled water for their daily hydration requirements, " said

Azam. " Unsurprisingly, the consumer assumes that since bottled water

carries a price tag, it is purer and safer than most tap water. "

Azam said the bacteria likely don't cause disease, and the study did not

confirm the presence of disease-causing bacteria in the water. Still, she

cautioned that the bacteria could pose a risk to vulnerable people such as

infants, pregnant women, the elderly and those with compromised immune

systems.

The researchers are calling for limits on the amount of bacteria allowed

in Canadian drinking water.

C-crest offers product analysis and consulting services to the drug- and

food-manufacturing industries.

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