New Rule Looks to Curb E. Coli Germs in Bottled Water
(Update1) Source of
Article: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601124&sid=at.ybH2eh3WU&refer=home By Catherine
Larkin May 26
(Bloomberg) -- Makers of bottled water including Coca-Cola Co.
and PepsiCo
Inc. will face tougher U.S. standards to prevent contamination with E.
coli bacteria. Beginning
Dec. 1, companies must test source water weekly for the germs, as required
for finished bottled water products, according to a notice posted today on the Food and Drug Administration’s
Web site. If water tests positive for E. coli, bottlers must document how
they eliminated the bacteria and retest samples before it can be used. E. coli, an indicator of fecal contamination, can cause
stomach cramps, diarrhea or life-threatening infections. The new bottled
water policies, first proposed in September, were designed to meet standards
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set for public drinking water in
2006, the FDA said. “Bottled
water containing E. coli will be considered adulterated, and source water
containing E. coli will not be considered to be of a safe, sanitary quality
and will be prohibited from use in the production of bottled water,” the FDA
wrote in the notice. The 19
comments submitted to the FDA were mostly supportive of the proposal, the
White Oak, Maryland-based agency said. |
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