Quality drinking water. Drinking water packaged without gas

Information from the National Consumer Protection Fund on the results of an independent comparative examination of bottled drinking water sold on the consumer market in Russia and Moscow.

The purpose of the project is to identify the main manufacturers and suppliers of bottled drinking water (including water for baby food) in the consumer market of Russia, the compliance of their products with quality and safety requirements, as well as the established rules for its circulation with federal legislation, the current regulatory and technical base, and practice. sales of drinking water in the EU and in the world. According to expert estimates, the volume of the bottled water market in Russia in 2002 amounted to about 1.4 billion liters, and the average annual growth rate over the past three years has exceeded 25%. Now experts estimate the capacity of the drinking water market at $80 million. The average Russian consumes a little more than 10 liters of bottled water per year, and in cities with a population of more than 100,000, 47 liters per person per year.

The task was to identify bottlenecks that hinder the development of the drinking water market and its new segments, barriers to entry into the market for domestic and foreign manufacturers, the reasons for the high level of turnover costs, assortment, quality control and certification, as well as issues of classification of the presented products and the reliability of information for consumers in parts of the origin of the goods, application, composition, storage conditions, etc. Naturally, the main task was to determine the safety of the products sold, their quality and physiological usefulness.

Leading manufacturers of bottled drinking water, interested in solving problems in this segment of the consumer market, whose trademarks and brands are known to a wide range of buyers, were invited to participate in the project:

• LLC "NESTLE FOOD" - "Holy source"
• LLC "AQUAIDEAL" - "Aquaideal"
• OOO "Shishkin Les Holding" - "Shishkin Les"
• COCA-COLA BOTTLERS SOFT EURASIA - "BonAqua"
• "PEPSI BOTTLINK GROUP RUSSIA" - "AquaMinerale"
• OJSC "Zelenogradsky source" - "Trinity" and "Baby" - children's
• CJSC "Royal Water" - "Royal Water"
• OAO Brewing Company Baltika - Khrustalnaya
• CJSC "Ost-Akva" - "Chernogolovskaya"
• OOO "PROFIL" - "Bereginyushka"
• LLC "FKCHF BOBIMEKS" - "Senezhskaya" and "Malyutka" children's
• CJSC "VEGA" - "Grow big" - children's water
• OOO "MERAMIKS" OOO "LAZA" - "Sudogodskaya"
• LLC "MTK ICEBERG" - Light drinking water "Langvey"
• LLC "First Baby Food Plant", LLC "LIKUB" - "TIP-TOP"
• LLC "AQUA PACK" - "Lady", Children's "Winnie"
• DGP "ZELCOM" - "Moskovia"
• CJSC "VISMA", Moscow branch "Visma Lux" - "Arkhyz"
• SUE "FAUSTOVO" - Children's water "Babushkino Lukoshko"
• LLC "MEGAPAK" - "Arktik"
• "Wimm - Bill - Dunn Mineral Water" LLC

As a result of marketing research, the National Consumer Protection Fund offered to check the following, the most widely represented brands in the consumer market:

No. p / p	Name	Manufacturer
1	"Grow Big"	CJSC "VEGA"
2	"Tip-Top"	OOO "LIKUB"
3	"Shishkin Forest"	OOO "Shishkin Les"
4	"Baby"	"FKCHF Bobimex"
5	"Baby"	"Zelenograd source"
6	"Senezhskaya"	"FKCHF Bobimex"
7	"AquaMinerale"	"Pepsi Bottlink Group Russia"
8	"Arctic"	OOO "MEGAPAK"
9	"WonAqua"	"Coca-Cola Bottlers Soft Eurasia"
10	"Vita Arkhyz"	LLC "Visma - Arkhyz"
11	"Holy spring"	OOO "NESTLE FOOD"
12	"Royal Water"	CJSC "Royal Water"
13	"Nutrilak aqua"	CJSC "Company Nutritek"
14	"Baby"	CJSC "Russian Production Company"
15	"Chernogolovskaya"	CJSC "OST-AQUA"
16	"Bereginya"	OOO "PROFIL"

All drinking and non-carbonated waters are bottled in PET bottles.

In addition to manufacturers, the fund's project is supported by state federal and municipal structures, such as the Federal Body for Technical Regulation and Metrology, the Federal Center for State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance of the Ministry of Health of Russia, and the State Trade Inspectorate of Russia.

The selection of sampling points was decided by the Fund with the assistance of the State Trade Inspectorate and the active participation of the Moscow State Trade Inspectorate, taking into account consumer complaints.

The following outlets were selected for sampling:

1. CJSC TD "Perekrestok", SEAD, district of Kuzminki at the address: Moscow, Zelenodolskaya 40.
2. Grocery store 24 hours - CJSC "Valens Aktiv", SEAD, district of Kuzminki at the address: Moscow, Volgogradsky pr., 119a
3. LLC "RITMTORG", r / a Filevsky park at the address: Moscow, st. Minsk, 22/35

On June 24, 2004, the National Consumer Protection Fund held a working meeting of fund experts, manufacturers, supervisory authorities and expert organizations to discuss the content of the examination, agree on the terms of reference and methodological features of expert studies of bottled drinking water, including bottled drinking water for baby food. A commission was formed for sampling in retail trade, consisting of representatives of the National Consumer Protection Fund, the state inspector of the Moscow State Trade Inspectorate and a representative from the Union of Commodity Producers.

Sampling was carried out in two stages on June 28 and 30 in accordance with Art. 9 of the Law of the Russian Federation of 08.08.01 No. 134-FZ, art. 26.4, 26.5, 27.10 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation and GOST R 23268.0-78.

All selected samples were paid for by the fund in the prescribed manner and sealed with GTI-14 ice-cream in the presence of the commission and authorized representatives of trading organizations, about which protocols were drawn up.

Purchased and sealed identical batches of samples were delivered to the Federal Center for State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance of the Ministry of Health of Russia and the Autonomous Non-Commercial Organization "Soyuzexpertiza" of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, where they were transferred under the act to specialists for examination.

To conduct an examination of the selected samples, the National Consumer Protection Fund entered into agreements with two expert organizations of different forms of ownership: the Federal Center for State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance of the Ministry of Health of Russia and the Autonomous Non-Commercial Organization "Soyuzexpertiza" of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation (Main Expert and Analytical Center "SOEKS-TEST"). The examination was carried out in accordance with the unified terms of reference agreed with these organizations.

The examination period is from 28.06.2004. to 09.07.2004

157 samples of drinking water from 16 enterprises packaged in containers were sent for examination (of which 46 samples were water for baby food):

1. Drinking natural non-carbonated water "ARKTIK" (Produced by: Megapak LLC, Russia, Moscow region, Leninsky district, Vidnoye, VZGIAP OJSC, kgorp. 452, under the control of Noor S.A.);
2. Non-carbonated drinking water for children "GROW BIG" (Producer: CJSC "Vega" Russia, Moscow region, Chernogolovka village, Kommunalnaya st., 1.);
3. Non-carbonated drinking water from an artesian well "SHISHKIN LES" (Manufactured in Russia: Shishkin Les Holding LLC, Moscow Region, Podolsky District, Shishkin Les, p. 30.);
4. Drinking water non-carbonated hydrocarbonate-calcium-magnesium for children "MALYSHKA" (Russia, Moscow, Zelenograd, 5 microdistrict of JSC "Zelenogradsky source".);
5. Drinking mineral water (hydrocarbonate magnesium-calcium) non-carbonated table "VITA ARKHYZ" (Manufacturer: 000 "Visma-Arkhyz", Russia, KChR, Arkhyz village, Lenina street, 39. Well No. 130-K, Arkhyz village);
6. Natural mineral water (hydrocarbonate magnesium-calcium) non-carbonated "SENEZHSKAYA PREMIUM" (Manufacturer: "000 FKCHF Bobimeks t.m.", Russia, Moscow region, Solnechnogorsk district, Lozhka village. Wells No. 1 / GVK 46240620 and No. 2/GVK 46219780.);
7. Natural mineral drinking water chloride-hydrocarbonate sodium-magnesium-calcium non-carbonated "SVYATOY SOURCE" (Producer: CJSC "Serebryany Istochnik", Russia, Kostroma, Simanovskogo st., 26a. Production address: Russia, Kostroma, st. Basic, 4. Wells according to the State Water Cadastre No. 341201043, 341201044, 341201380, Kostroma, Bazovaya St., 4.);
8. Non-carbonated drinking water for children "NUTRILAK AQUA" (Production address: Russia, Moscow region, Istra, Moskovskaya st., 52. Well No. 2787 / GVK 207216. Manufacturer: CJSC Nutritek Company, Russia, Moscow, Kashirskoye highway, 21.);
9. Non-carbonated drinking water for children "KROKHA" (Bottled: 3AO "Russian Production Company" Source: A spring in the village of Iskra, Aleksandrovsky district, Vladimir region. Shelf life 6 months).
10. Non-carbonated drinking water "BONAQUA" (Manufactured by: (MO) Coca-Cola HBC Eurasia LLC, Nizhny Novgorod, Bauman st., 66. Manufacturer's branch: Moscow, Novoorlovskaya st., 7.);
11. Non-carbonated drinking water "AQUA MINERALE" (Manufacturer: LLC "PepsiCo Holdings" Moscow region, Solnechnogorsk district, territory of the free economic zone "Sherrizon", building 1.);
12. Mineral water hydrocarbonate magnesium-calcium non-carbonated drinking table "SENEZHSKAYA MALYUTKA" (Manufacturer: OOO "FKCHF Bobimeks t.m." Russia, MO, Solnechnogorsk district, Lozhki village.);
13. Drinking natural non-carbonated water "BEREGINYA" (Produced by LLC "Profil", Moscow region, Safonovo settlement, sanatorium "Ramenskoye", Artesian well No. 2/62. Manufacturer: 000 "Profile", Moscow region, Ramenskoye, st. . Communist, 35.);
14. Drinking natural non-carbonated water "ROYAL WATER" (Production is located: Russia, Moscow region, Solnechnogorsk district, Lozhki village, Artesian well No. 144-91. 3AO "Royal water", Russia, Moscow, Denisovsky per., 23 , page 6.);
15. Natural non-carbonated drinking water "CHERNOGOLOVSKAYA" (Russia, Moscow region Noginsk district, Chernogolovka, 23 km, 3AO "QCT-AQUA".);
16. Children's drinking water "TIP-TOP" non-carbonated "Nizhny Novgorod, Savrasova st., 10).

Comprehensive expert work was carried out in the following areas:

• organoleptic indicators;
• microbiology;
• radiological safety;
• assessment of the safety of the chemical composition;
• physiological usefulness of macro- and microelement composition;
• definition of quality category; (assessment of these indicators was carried out in accordance with the requirements of SanPiN 2.1.4.1116-02 "Drinking water. Hygienic requirements for the quality of water packaged in containers. Quality control")
• compliance of the marking with the requirements of GOST R 52109-2003 "Drinking water packaged in containers. General specifications";
• compliance with the requirements of GOST R 51074-2003 "Food products. Information for the consumer. General requirements", laws of the Russian Federation "On consumer protection", "On advertising", "On technical regulation", "On sanitary and hygienic well-being of the population", etc. The National Consumer Protection Fund also set the task of conducting a comparative examination of samples in order to verify the identity of the results obtained and the verification methods used in various expert organizations.

The results of the examination conducted by the Federal Center for State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance of the Ministry of Health of Russia (FTsGSEN) and the Autonomous Non-Commercial Organization SOYUZEXPERTIZA (SOEKS-TEST) are reflected in the protocols and expert opinions for each sample.

Comparison of the results of examinations conducted in two expert organizations, with the generality of the main results, showed some discrepancy between the results for a number of indicators, although the research methods in the expert opinions are the same. This leads to the conclusion about the need for inspections and periodic supervision of the quality of work of expert organizations, testing of laboratory equipment and certification of specialists. In our project, this led to the need for additional checks and examinations in other expert organizations, as the producers tried to challenge the results. This led to an increase in the cost estimate of the fund, and in the daily turnover leads to additional costs for producers.

Examinations on controversial issues were carried out in independent expert organizations and research institutes, such as the Russian Scientific Center for Restorative Medicine and Balneology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, the Accredited Testing Laboratory Center of the All-Russian Research Institute of the Poultry Processing Industry of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Analytical Center for Water Quality Control CJSC "ROSA" , GU Centers for State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance Podolsk, Shcherbinki, Troitsk, Podolsky district of the Moscow region, Nizhny Novgorod, Testing Center of the Federal State Institution "SERGIEV-POSAD CSM", Center of the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Service in the Leninsky district of the Moscow region Accredited Testing Laboratory Center, etc.

The examination was carried out with the direct supervision and participation of general directors, chief technologists and directors for quality problems of five enterprises of leading commodity producers.

The conclusions based on the results of the main and additional control examinations have been adjusted taking into account additional expert tests and are given below.

FINDINGS.

1. All tested samples meet the requirements of SanPiN 2.1.4.1116-02 p. 4.5 on radiation safety.
2. Correspond to the requirements of SanPiN 2.1.4.1116-02 p. 4.3 in terms of organoleptic indicators, all tested samples, except for water "CHERNOGOLOVSKAYA".
3. In general, it meets the requirements of SanPiN 2.1.4.1116-02 non-carbonated drinking water for children "NUTRILAK AQUA".
4. They do not meet the requirements of SanPiN 2.1.4.1116-02 p. 4.4 according to the criteria of harmlessness of the chemical composition: "GROW BIG", "ARKHYZ", "HOLY SOURCE", "KROKHA", "BEREGINIA".
5. They do not meet the requirements of SanPiN 2.1.4.1116-02 p. 4.7 according to the criteria of physiological usefulness of macro- and microelements: "GROW BIG", "BABY", "ARKHYZ", "HOLY SOURCE", "BABY", "BEREGINIA", "CHERNOGOLOVSKAYA" , "ROYAL", "TYPE-TOP", "SHISHKIN FOREST", "BON AQUA", "AQUA MINERALE".
6. Do not meet the requirements of SanPiN 2.1.4.1116-02 p. 4.10 packaged water for the preparation of baby food "BABY", "GROW BIG", "BABY", "SENEZHSKAYA BABY", "TYPE-TOP".
7. In the state register of registered food products, there is no OKP code for water for baby food. On the labels of water samples for the preparation of baby food, as a rule, the word "Baby ..." is placed in the name, which misleads consumers, because. the product called "children's water" is not registered (GOST R 51074-2003 p. 3).
8. Permits for the production of water for baby food are issued by the All-Russian Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences in accordance with the "Medical and biological requirements for water for the restoration of dry baby food and diet food", the safety indicators of this document do not meet the requirements of SanPiN 2.1.4.1116-02 p. 4.10.
9. Normative and technological documentation, control and supervision methods for the production and circulation of baby water are not enough, the production of baby water itself is illegitimate, the quality and safety of water for preparing baby food is not ensured.
10. The results of an independent comparative examination organized by the National Consumer Protection Fund showed that bottled drinking water and bottled water for baby food do not have distinctive properties in terms of their composition. There is speculation and tax evasion on the part of commodity producers. It is necessary to propose approaches to regulating the production and circulation of water for baby food in the Russian consumer market.
11. All samples of water for the preparation of baby food, with the exception of "NUTRILAK AQUA", did not pass the epidemic safety control in terms of microbiological indicators, in terms of the safety of the chemical composition.
12. All water samples for the preparation of baby food, with the exception of "NUTRILAK AQUA" and "KROKHA", did not pass the control for the physiological usefulness of macro- and microelements.
13. According to the conclusion of ANO "SOEKS" of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Russia, none of the presented waters, with the exception of "NUTRILAK AQUA" water, does not meet the requirements of SanPiN 2.1.4.1116-02 "Drinking water. Hygienic requirements for the quality of water packaged in containers. Quality control" p. 3.3 - according to quality categories - the first category and the highest category.
14. Manufacturers do not meet the requirements for information for consumers. In accordance with the requirements of the Law of the Russian Federation "On the Protection of Consumer Rights" and "On the Quality and Safety of Food Products", as well as GOST R 52109-2003 "Drinking water packaged in containers. General specifications", GOST R 51074-2003 "Products food. Information for the consumer. General requirements" the label should contain information about the category of water quality, its hardness, total mineralization, ionic composition. Instead, a number of commodity producers, for example, place on the label information that the consumer is offered "environmentally clean water" with reference to various environmental organizations. The National Consumer Protection Fund shares the GOST R wording that the use of such a wording is prohibited, since environmentally friendly products are not registered on the planet. The Fund intends to appeal to the state control bodies about the incorrect behavior of 4 non-state structures that issue documents on "ecological cleanliness", "environmental friendliness" for various types of food products to commodity producers for money.
15. Comparison of the results of the examination in different expert organizations revealed the discrepancy between the data on some safety indicators beyond the permissible error. The Fund turned to the producers with a request to provide documents on the production quality control of certain batches of packaged water, protocols of scheduled inspections, certificates, in order to identify possible causes of deviations.
16. It is necessary to carry out inspections and periodic supervision of the quality of work of expert organizations, verification of laboratory equipment and certification of specialists by the competent state bodies.
17. GOST R 52109-2003 "Drinking water packaged in containers. General technical conditions", which came into force on July 1, 2004, applies to all drinking water, with the exception of mineral drinking medicinal and medicinal table waters produced in accordance with GOST 13273. Hygienic standards for packaged water in accordance with this GOST R, SanPiN 2.1.4.1116-02 is established, the sanitary rules (clause 1.3) of which do not apply to medicinal, medical-table, table mineral waters). Thus, natural mineral drinking water with a mineralization level of up to 1 gram per liter of product, which does not undergo water treatment, is not included in any safety check document for human life, does not have a national standard, its production and circulation are regulated by the Sanitary Rules for enterprises for the processing and bottling of drinking mineral waters" in 1987. It is necessary to update the regulatory and methodological documentation for natural mineral drinking canteen water or to develop a modern national standard. The Fund is ready to act as the customer of such a project and finance the work of experts.
18. In order to study the existing disagreements, samples of "water from a natural mineral drinking table" were selected and tested for compliance with safety requirements according to SanPin 2.1.4.1116-02, because an ordinary consumer sees the name drinking, natural, table and understands that this is water for daily use , i.e. it must be safe according to sanitary standards, like drinking water. (See item 3) Among the selected samples, "ARKHYZ", "SENEGSKAYA", "SVOY SOURCE", "MALYUTKA SENEGSKAYA" are classified as "natural mineral drinking water" according to the marking and are distinguished by a balanced content of calcium, magnesium, chlorides , bicarbonate, sodium. However, the examination showed a low mineralization of the water "ARKHYZ", and the content of calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate in the selected sample is comparable with the waters "MALYSHKA", "NUTRILAK AQUA" and others, which are positioned as drinking water. So, on the label of the studied samples ("ARKHYZ"), consumers are informed that "each liter contains the daily norm of iodine." The examination showed the presence of iodide in the amount of 0.05 µg/l at the norm according to SanPin 2.1.4.1116-02 -125 µg/l, but the amount of silver in these samples is 5 times higher than the norm.
19. The National Consumer Protection Fund notes serious shortcomings in the work of trading organizations: CJSC Trading House "Perekryostok", SEAD, district of Kuzminki at the address: Moscow, Zelenodolskaya 40, Gastronome 24 hours - CJSC "Valens Active", SEAD, district of Kuzminki at the address : Moscow, Volgogradsky pr., 119a, LLC "RITMTORG", r / a Filevsky park at the address: Moscow, st. Minskaya, 22/35: storage of products was carried out not in special utility rooms, but in corridors and technological passages, the temperature regime was not observed either in the trading floors or in these rooms.
20. The National Consumer Protection Fund notes the virtual absence of activities of state bodies to control quality and safety in the segment of bottled drinking water (including drinking water for baby food).

Image source: top-cooler.ru

Given the great response to previous publications, we decided to continue a series of articles related in one way or another to the subject of the market for drinking bottled water in Russian cities. In this informational review, we will analyze the question of the rating of drinking water in the city of Moscow and the Moscow region, the largest market in Russia, and we will start with such a segment as water packaged in 19 liter bottles. As a rule, companies deliver it directly to apartments, offices, this water can also be purchased at large chain stores such as Auchan, Metro, Globus and the like, often such products can be found at gas stations.

We will not bore our subscribers with a detailed description of all our actions, as some graphomaniac journalists like to do. Just know that it took us about 6 months of painstaking work and several dozen experiments to prepare the material. And so, to the point.

Below we provide official data from several non-profit organizations specializing in drinking water quality control. The figures were obtained by interviewing respondents, according to the results of anonymous questionnaires made by them on the basis of a detailed studied physical and chemical analysis of samples in accordance with GOST. The voting also took into account the fact of the least appeal of consumers and complaints about the quality of a particular product in general.

The following organizations (non-profit*) were accepted in the quality survey:
- "Rospotrebnadzor";
- "NC Russian Control";
– OSBV (branch of the Union of Manufacturers in Moscow);
– Union for the Protection of Consumers of Goods (Moscow);
- Rosminprom (SP RF).

Please note that the survey was conducted anonymously in order to exclude the manipulation of manufacturers to extract commercial interests.
The analysis involved the most popular brands in Moscow and the Moscow region, with the name of the product that falls under the classification of “bottled water with a volume of 19 liters” (listing separated by commas, according to alphabetical order):

Water AVK, AquaAreal, Amelia, Aqualider, Abago, Arkhyzik, Aqua Donbai, Arkhyz, Aquaideal, Aquaflot, ABC of water, Aquaru, Alexander's key, Barsky springs, Butylkof, Biovita, Bourgeois, Magic water, Vera, Wave of Baikal, Water Online, Mountain peak, Dear Muscovites, Valley of apple trees, Darzakh, Erinskaya, United, Pearl of the Caucasus, Healthy water, Kara-Su, Kubay, Karachay, Royal water, Legend of the mountains, Bear land, Novoterskaya, Nestle, Our water, Real water, Oxy, Pilgrim, Pavlovsky springs, Senezhskaya, Holy spring, Senezhskaya, Sofia glacier, Santalovskiy spring, Element of life, Holy spring, Staro-Mytishchi spring, Salkovskaya, Semerik, Slavnitsa (var), Make the world kinder, Colored well, Khvalovskaya, Uvinskaya pearl, Filimonovsky spring, Chernogolovskaya, Shishkin forest, Shkolnik, Aeneas, Elbrusinka, Eden 19 liters.

After analyzing the data and comparing all the original figures, we received a rating of bottled water for coolers, where the seats were placed alternately, according to the aggregate quality criteria. The format of our article does not physically allow laying out the list in full, so we decided to name only the top ten best samples.

1. Water "Santalovsky source" 19 l.
2. Water "Ulanskaya" 19 l.
3. Water "Arkhyz" 19 l.
4. Water "Holy spring" 19 l.
5. Water "Karachay" 19 l.
6. Water "Senezhskaya" 19 l.
7. Water "Aleksinskaya" 19 l.
8. Water "Semiruchye" 19 l.
9. Water "Barskiye Klyuchi" 19 l.
10. Water "Mountain Elite" 19 l.

* You can see the full list and transcript of the analyzes by going to the cooler water supplier portal at the link: Arkhyz official water delivery.

The names are different, but the source is the same. What are we paying for?

Also, during our small study, we received very curious side conclusions from inspection organizations. The data obtained indicate that some brands of drinking water are completely identical to each other, that is, in fact, this is the same water under different names. For example, water "Aquaflot" 19 liters, "United", "Azbuka vody", "Pavlovsky springs", "Bourgeois", "AquaAreal", "Eneya", "Slavnitsa", and "AVK", with a probability of 99% , obtained from the same source, as they say, bottled from “one barrel”, or rather, a source located directly in Moscow.

A similar situation was found with other brands from the checked list. So, for example, the water "Mountain Top" 19 liters and the water "Legend of the mountains" 19 liters completely coincide with each other both in composition and other organoleptic properties, being, in fact, one product under different names and the water "Legend of the mountains" differ from " Mountain peak" only with an additional markup of 20%.

Drinking water "Glavvoda 19 liters" is actually bottled in the Moscow region and is drinking water "Semerik" which was named in a new way, and unlike the water itself Semerik, water "Glavvoda" 19 liters costs 15-20% more expensive, it turns out that the overpayment goes just for the label.

We will definitely return to this issue in our next publications and will try to cover the problem of price manipulation by deliberately misleading buyers in as much detail as possible.

But we received the most interesting conclusion on drinking water from Nestle Pure Life 19 liters, after renaming it is called Eden 19 liters: all experts unanimously claim that this water was obtained from the central water supply system, followed by conditioning according to the salt composition . This directly indicates the artificial origin of the composition of water.

There is also positive news: with the help of these tests, we managed to destroy and dispel the common myth that supposedly all “Caucasian” water is bottled in the cellars of the Moscow region, and not brought from the Caucasus. Now we have every reason to say with 100% certainty that everyone's favorite water Arkhyz 19 liters is produced in the North Caucasus: its mineral composition, physico-chemical and organoleptic indicators correspond to the declared production region. All the same applies to other tested samples of mountain waters: "Sofia Glacier", "Mountain Top" and water "Pilgrim" in their microchemical compositions completely coincide with the water that can be obtained exclusively in the region of the Teberdinsky Biosphere Reserve.

For clarification of all indicators, numbers and ratings, we decided to contact the representatives of the companies included in our rating and among the leaders of the Moscow bottled water market: Vodohleb LLC, Arkhyz LLC, Vodovoz LLC, Top Water LLC . These comments will be the subject of our next articles, studies and investigations. In the near future, we will prepare new materials from which you can learn how not to fall for the marketing tricks of drinking water manufacturers, we will answer questions about what kind of mountain water is really and what kind of water is better to choose for constant use in everyday life, at home and in the office . All the best to you, follow our publications.

Russian quality system (Roskachestvo) conducted a study of another group of products and made a rating of bottled water. To do this, the organization's specialists purchased about 60 samples of still water of various brands of Russian and foreign production (Armenia, Georgia, Italy, Norway, Finland, France). At the same time, three types of water took part in the study - the first category, the highest category and mineral. As a result, it turned out that 15.5% / 9 samples can receive the Outstanding Quality Mark, 63.8% / 37 samples can simply be called a quality product, and 20.7% / 12 samples fall short of this title.

Rating bottled water, the most significant violations of experts Roskachestvo found in mineral water brands Arkhyz, Elbrus and Biovita. In the studied samples, there were too many microorganisms, which theoretically can have a negative effect on the human body. At the same time, the researchers noted that this problem may be caused by violations of the rules of transportation or storage conditions.

As for the remaining nine copies included in the rating of bottled water, the violations in them mainly concerned the discrepancy between the labeling and the actual composition. And most of all, water producers of the highest category distinguished themselves here, to which higher requirements for content are applied. Among them was the water of the Italian brand norda, Armenian Aparan and Russian Dixie, Glavvoda, Alive key, BabyIdeal, Courtois, Demidovskaya Suite. Also in this list there is one brand that produces water of the first category - Uleimskaya.

The best specimens included in the rating of bottled water were the French mineral Evian and Russian aquanics, water of the highest category Volzhanka, Simple good and Arctic, as well as representatives of the first category Bon Aqua, Lipetsk pump room, Novoterskaya and O! Our family. All these brands are representatives Roskachestvo characterized as having a safe chemical composition, not contaminated or chlorinated, microbiologically safe and rich in macro / micro elements, having normal hardness and mineralization level.

By the way, bottled water rating and research Roskachestvo debunked the consumer myth about the frequent presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, nitrites and toxic elements in water - they were not found in any sample.

And finally, important information - New York University conducted a study and found out that. Roskachestvo apparently doesn't know it yet.

Sales of bottled water in Russia are growing every year. Many people buy bottled water not only in hot weather outside, but also for daily use at home. How not to make a mistake with the choice? Roskontrol experts have chosen 12 popular brands of drinking and mineral water at prices ranging from 20 to 150 rubles. The "tests" involved brands that are also sold here in Sochi.

At the very first stage, unpleasant surprises awaited the Roskontrol experts. The most important indicator of the safety of drinking water is the content of microorganisms. In some samples, their allowable amount is exceeded by 70 times! This means that dysentery bacilli, salmonella and other dangerous microorganisms and viruses can easily be in batches. For non-compliance with safety requirements, these brands of water are included in the "black list" of Roskontrol.

In some brands, the allowable amount of nitrates and nitrites is significantly exceeded, including quite expensive brands. Most likely, water was taken not far from industrial enterprises, treatment facilities, collective farms or farms. Moreover, the water clearly lay on the surface or at a shallow depth.

Experts found in the supposedly clean water a bunch of unnecessary rubbish: ammonium ions, permanganate oxidizability. Exceeding the norms for these indicators indicates that gasoline, kerosene, phenols, pesticides and other harmful substances could get into the water.

But the declared useful micro and macro elements, on the contrary, were not counted. In some samples, there was almost no calcium and magnesium. With the constant use of such water, there will be a deficiency of the corresponding substances in the body. Which in turn will lead to various health problems. And this, judging by the tests, is quite likely, because sales of bottled water in Russia are growing every year. Many people buy it not only in hot weather on the street, but also for daily use at home.

For the examination, bottled water was purchased from Shishkin Les, Bonaqua, Holy Spring, Evian, Lipetsk Buvet, Cristaline, Vittel, Just ABC, Nestle Pure Life, Aparan, Aqua Minerale, D (Dixie) .

Below is a table of test results and a rating of samples in terms of safety, naturalness, usefulness and taste.

Test results:

1. Water "D" (Dixie) non-carbonated drinking

Water, which is produced in the Nizhny Novgorod region by order of the Dixy trading network, is recognized by experts as the most useful. She has an ideal composition for the content of micro and macro elements.

from 12 rub. for 1 liter

2. Vittel mineral still

Vittel mineral still

Mineral water Vittel produced in France, according to the results of the examination, is recognized as natural and safe. Its disadvantages include the low content of fluorine.

from 63 rub. for 1 liter

3. Evian mineral still

Evian mineral still

Evian water meets all safety requirements - microbes, nitrates and other harmful components were not found in it. But there are more useful elements - calcium and magnesium - than in other tested samples.

from 84 rub. for 1 liter

4. "Lipetsk Buvet" non-carbonated drinking

"Lipetsky Buvet" non-carbonated drinking

This water turned out to be the most delicious among the tested samples. But according to the results of laboratory tests, Lipetsk Buvet is far from being a leader: in terms of total mineralization and fluorine content, water falls short of the norm of physiological usefulness.

from 16 rub. for 1 liter

5. Aqua Minerale drinking non-carbonated

Aqua Minerale drinking non-carbonated

from 32 rub. for 1 liter

6. Nestle Pure Life drinking non-carbonated

Nestle Pure Life drinking non-carbonated

On the label of Nestle water it is indicated that it is highly purified water. Indeed, it was well cleaned of harmful substances, but, unfortunately, during cleaning, there were much fewer useful elements in it.

from 25 rub. for 1 liter

7. "Prosto Azbuka" non-carbonated drinking

"Prosto Azbuka" non-carbonated drinking

The beautiful words on the label of this water - "purest water", "ideal for cooking", "does not form scale" - turned out to be only partially true. There will indeed be little scale from this water: there is too little calcium and magnesium in it, but you definitely cannot call it the purest: the number of microbes in this water exceeds the norm by 70 times.

from 14 rub. per 1 liter - Blacklist

8. "Shishkin Forest" non-carbonated drinking

"Shishkin Les" non-carbonated drinking

The sample is blacklisted for consumer fraud. Water "Shishkin Les" does not correspond to the first category indicated on the label in terms of the content of macronutrients. It is safe for occasional use, but if you drink it every day, it can be harmful to your health.

from 17 rub. per 1 liter - Blacklist

9. Bonaqua drinking non-carbonated

Bonaqua drinking non-carbonated

Drinking water under the Bonaqua brand does not meet safety requirements: the examination showed that the source of water supply from which it is obtained could be contaminated with sewage

from 23 rub. per 1 liter - Blacklist

10. Cristaline drinking non-carbonated

Cristaline drinking non-carbonated

Numerous violations of the requirements for water of the highest category were revealed in the sample. The complex indicator of toxicity (the sum of nitrates and nitrites) is 40 times higher.

from 40 rub. per 1 liter - Blacklist

11. Aparan drinking non-carbonated

Aparan drinking non-carbonated

Armenian water Aparan is unsafe: the number of microorganisms in it is 3.5 times higher than the norm, and nitrates are 2 times more than allowed for water of the highest category.

from 49 rub. for 1 liter Black list

12. "Holy Spring" non-carbonated drinking

"Holy Spring" non-carbonated drinking

This water is unsafe for health: it exceeds the indicator of organic pollution. Also, the label contains inaccurate data on the composition of micro and macro elements.

From 18 rub. for 1 liter - Black list.

Security

At the first stage of the research, unpleasant surprises awaited the experts. The most important indicator of the safety of drinking water is the content of microorganisms in it. In the water "Prosto ABC", which is produced in the Stavropol Territory by order of the trading network "Azbuka Vkusa", the number of microbes is 70 times higher than the permissible standard.

Also, according to this indicator, Aparan water (produced in Armenia) is recognized as unsafe, it contains 3.5 times more microorganisms than the norm.

This level of microbial contamination indicates a general problem with the source of water supply. And this means that in the next batch of water "Prosto Azbuka" or Aparan can easily be dysentery bacilli, salmonella and other dangerous microorganisms and viruses. For non-compliance with safety requirements, the above brands of water are included in the "black list" of Roskontrol

In addition to bacteria, nitrates were found in Aparan water - they are twice the norm. The complex indicator of toxicity (the sum of nitrates and nitrites) is 40 times higher in the expensive French water Cristaline.

Nitrite enters the water source from wastewater and is an indicator of the so-called "organic pollution". Most likely, water was taken from places located near industrial enterprises, sewage treatment facilities, collective farms or farms, and the water clearly lay on the surface or at a shallow depth (specialists use the term "horizons insufficiently protected from the penetration of water from surface runoff").

The experts determined several more indicators of water pollution - the content of ammonium ions and permanganate oxidizability. Exceeding the norms for these indicators suggests that gasoline, kerosene, phenols, pesticides and other harmful substances could get into the water. According to the test results, Bonaqua and Holy Spring brands do not meet safety requirements, and Cristaline water, although safe, does not meet the increased requirements declared by the manufacturer, who labeled it as water of the highest category.

How could this happen? Why is it that even the water that says "artesian" and the numbers of the wells is contaminated? Shouldn't manufacturers clean it up?

Rufina Mikhailova, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Head of the Laboratory of Hygiene of Drinking Water Supply and Sanitary Protection of Water Bodies, Research Institute of Human Ecology and Environmental Hygiene named after A.N. Sysina:

“Any water goes through a preparation stage before packaging. There are many technologies for water purification, depending on the initial quality of water. The only requirement is that chlorine must not be used to disinfect water intended for bottling. If the water is initially close to ideal, and only a few elements are exceeded, simple filters are used.

The most common technology is reverse osmosis. It allows you to get sterile, perfectly pure water - special membrane filters trap all impurities, guaranteeing a stable quality of purified water. But here the opposite effect also arises - unfortunately, with too thorough cleaning, water is deprived of not only harmful, but also useful substances. By its properties, such water approaches distilled water.

All water samples were also tested for the content of toxic elements - mercury, lead, arsenic, aluminum and others: none of the water contains an excess of these substances.

Quality

The value of drinking water is determined by micro and macro elements, about 50 substances in total. For a person, there is a certain physiological norm in terms of the amount and composition of mineral salts dissolved in water. Almost all bottled water labels list the total mineralization level. From the point of view of daily water consumption, the level of 200-500 mg / l can be considered optimal. With drinking water, a person can get up to 20% of the daily dose of calcium, up to 25% magnesium, up to 50-80% fluorine, up to 50% iodine.

The examination showed that there is almost no calcium and magnesium in the water "Shishkin Forest" and "Aqua Minerale", a lack of fluorine - in the water of Bonaqua, "Holy Spring", "Lipetsk Buvet" and even in the expensive Evian and Vittel water. With the constant use of such water, there will be a deficiency of the corresponding substances in the body. Recall that a lack of fluorine causes caries, calcium - osteoporosis and reduced bone density (and, as a result, a tendency to fracture, and in children - a violation of the formation of the skeleton), magnesium - problems with the heart and nervous system.

The content of bicarbonates in the Shishkin Les water is exceeded, according to this indicator, the water does not correspond to the first category declared on the label.

According to doctors, drinking water with a high content of bicarbonates is not recommended for people suffering from chronic kidney disease, incl. with the formation of stones, as well as people with reduced secretion of gastric juice.

Evian, Vittel, Nestle Pure Life, Aqua Minerale, "D" (Dixie) and "Lipetsk Buvet" are recognized as safe according to the results of our tests. The optimal composition (in terms of the content of minerals and trace elements) is in drinking water "D" (Dixie). It is, by the way, the cheapest of the tested samples.

The most delicious participants of the tasting seemed to be the Lipetsk Buvet water (which lacks useful elements) and the French Evian and Vittel water (which contains calcium and magnesium in sufficient quantities, but there is no fluorine at all).