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Mineral water in the eco test: well-known brands with pollutants - health hazard

2020-06-11T14:41:48.519Z


Water in the test: Öko-Test examined different types of mineral water. Some brands fail with a high uranium, nitrite and boron content.


Water in the test: Öko-Test examined different types of mineral water. Some brands fail with a high uranium, nitrite and boron content.

  • Water in the test : Öko-Test examined 100 different mineral water products.
  • Most were able to convince. 
  • However, some brands fail in the test

Kassel - There are over 800 recognized mineral springs in Germany. Consumers can choose from more than 500 types of mineral water and therefore expect high quality. The consumer magazine Öko-Test tested 100 “medium” water in its annual test . The majority of the mineral water tested can convince. 

However, some brands fail in the test . Two types of water in particular have a high uranium, nitrite and boron content. Pesticide degradation products have also penetrated some sources. 

Water in the test: Öko-Test takes stock

Around half of the products in the test were rated "very good", 14 more were "good". A total of 18 sources are affected by contamination. Four other water fail with "poor" or "insufficient". 

These are the losers at Öko-Test :

  • Anhaltiner Bergquelle Medium with "poor"
  • Brohler Medium with "poor"
  • Nature Park Quelle Medium with "poor"
  • Apollinaris medium with "insufficient"

Water in the test: According to the Öko-Test, there are minus points

35 of the 100 water scored worse than "good" in the test . According to Öko-Test criteria, there are minus points especially for: 

  • contained pesticide breakdown products 
  • artificial sweeteners
  • Uranium and boron
  • nitrate
  • packaging

Degradation products from pesticides pose no danger, but it reduces the original purity of the water. These breakdown products could be detected in 15 varieties.

Water in the test: Öko-Test examines mineral water

Uranium and boron, on the other hand, are not harmless to humans. Even if they occur naturally in soil and rock layers, uranium can even damage the kidneys and lungs. The test shows increased values ​​in the water of "Naturpark Quelle Medium" and "Apollinaris Medium".

Artificial sweeteners were contained in five varieties. These already migrated through the body and the sewage treatment plant. On the other hand, they can also come from inadequately cleaned bottles.

Water in the test: Öko-Test finds increased nitrate levels

The test clearly shows that most nitrate levels in the water are still below the limit, but these can be particularly dangerous for infants in the first months of life. The substance itself is harmless, but can be converted into nitrite in the body and promote the formation of problematic nitrosamines. 

These are carcinogenic in animal experiments. The mineral water "Bad Kissinger Medium", "Alwa Medium" and "Bad Pyrmonter Medium" are particularly noticeable due to their increased nitrate level.

Get free test results for all 53 varieties now❗️ https://t.co/5ZTYymD7om

- ÖKO-TEST (@oekotest) October 14, 2019

Water in the test: packaging relevant for Öko-Test

The packaging of the water is also relevant for the evaluation of Öko-Test . Some bottles in the test attracted attention with the missing label, whether it is a reusable pack or disposable plastic.

The bottles from Oppacher, Lidl, Rossmann, Kaufland as well as "Anhaltiner Bergquelle Medium", "Sawell Medium" and "Bad Kissinger Medium" contain 50 percent or more of recycled PET , according to Öko-Test .

Water in the test: these are the test winners at Öko-Test

The following are some of the  water types that were rated "very good" in the test

  • Bad Liebenwerda 
  • Bad Brückenauer
  • Black Forest sparkling
  • Elisabethen source 
  • Saxony source
  • Castle source
  • Vilsa fountain
  • Wittenseer doldrums slightly sparkling
  • Güstrower Schlossquell
  • Gerolsteiner medium
  • Rennsteig Medium
  • Saskia Medium Quelle Jessen with "good"

Öko-Test: These products were also examined

Also in the Öko-Test test: the consumer magazine took a close look at charcoal, coal briquettes and the like for the barbecue season. Not everyone was able to convince.

Only recently in the Öko-Test test: Various pesto from the supermarket were examined. Many pollutants were discovered. Well-known brands do particularly poorly. 

By Karolin Schaefer

Rubric list image: © Roland Weihrauch / dpa

Source: merkur

All life articles on 2020-06-11

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