Bad mineral water bandage against foundation

Association defends itself against Stiftung Warentest

07/27/2014

Only six out of 30 mineral water varieties were able to pass the test of Stiftung Warentest. In the trade, according to the experts, there are considerable differences in quality. But the manufacturers fight back. They accuse the foundation of "false standards". At the same time, they demand EU-wide standards.

Mineral water is generally considered to be the healthiest beverage ever and is often drunk by the liter for refreshment, especially at the current high summer temperatures. But apparently there are significant differences in quality among the commercially available varieties. According to Stiftung Warentest, therefore, of the 30 currently tested products, only six medium water types can be recommended without restrictions.

Degradation products of pesticides and corrosion inhibitors demonstrated
The experts had investigated 30 medium mineral waters in a new test, including "Apollinaris", "Justus Brunnen" and the waters of the private labels of ALDI Süd, Edeka and Rewe. The sobering result: For every third party, the inspectors were able to detect contamination from above-ground layers, mainly the artificial sweetener acesulfame-K, but also degradation products of pesticides and a corrosion inhibitor were found. According to the foundation, these substances are not risky in terms of health, yet the findings would jeopardize the "original purity" of mineral water - which according to the so-called "mineral and table water ordinance" is a prerequisite for the term "natural mineral water".

Association accuses foundation of wrong measuring
Arno Dopychai from the Association of German Mineral Wells criticized the Deutschlandfunk, the Stiftung Warentest would allegedly work with false standards. According to the law, "natural mineral water must come from underground and protected water resources. This water is "originally pure". "However, a zero standard, as the foundation does, can not be applied, just as the world is nowadays, and above all in the modern research methods, which measure up to nanograms per liter, that is, billionths of a gram per liter." Dopychai.

In addition, there are no uniform legal regulations, but only orientation values. However, such EU limits should be introduced according to the association spokesman. It would be used for years by the industry for such limits. Because the "original purity" must be "handled controllable".

Only few minerals in most test products
In addition to the impurities, the experts found in their testing another flaw: unlike many advertised, had been found in 18 of the 30 test waters only a low content of minerals (less than 500 milligrams per liter). This mainly affected the private labels of the trade, such as the "Rewe / Ja" water from the mountain spring in Rhens, which also had the highest nickel content in the test and was therefore rated as "poor". According to the foundation, only six brands managed to convince, both in terms of taste and in terms of the requirements of the mineral and table water regulations, among others "Frische Brise" and "Vio" as well as Kaufland's own brands ("K-Classic") and Lidl ("Saskia"). (Sb)