Bottled water is up to two years old

September 23, 2004

Meanwhile the plastic has leeched into it.

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Bottled water is two years old

By Nilufer Atik, Evening Standard

9 July 2003

Bottled mineral water could be almost two years old by the time it is bought

by consumers, it was revealed today.

Supermarket shoppers who buy bottled water in the belief that it is fresher

than tap water are unaware that it may in fact have sat on a warehouse shelf

for most of its use-by date.

Professor Jeni Colbourne, head of the Drinking Water Inspectorate-said:

" People have a perception-that bottled water is fresh because it's been

sealed in a bottle, unsullied by human hands. But in fact it has probably

spent most of that time in hot warehouses and on hot supermarket shelves. "

In one warehouse, water was discovered which had been bottled up to 23

months ago. Water companies insist the airtight seals used on bottles mean

they are still safe to drink even after two years.

Jo Jacobius, of the Natural Mineral Water Information Service, which

represents 13 brands including Evian, Perrier, Buxton and Highland Spring,

said: " The water is fine to drink after two years. It is not going to go

'off ' and the mineral content is kept the same. "

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