According to a CCTV News report on April 26, the French General Directorate of Health said on the 25th local time that 2 million bottles of sparkling water from the well-known sparkling mineral water brand "Perrier" have been destroyed because they are suspected of being contaminated with harmful bacteria. The sparkling water was produced between March 10 and 14 and comes from a water source near Nîmes, the capital of the Gard department in southern France.
Agence France-Presse reported that "water from a water source" from a water source near Nîmes may have been contaminated with bacteria in feces, and the health authorities of the Occitanie region in southern France have ordered the production company, Nestlé's branch of Nestlé, which operates drinking water in France, to destroy all the batches of "water in Paris". Nestlé said the water was destroyed "just in case" and that the rest of the "Perrier" sold in the store was "safe to drink".
E. coli was detected in the source of the "Perrier" water source
France destroyed 2 million bottles
On April 25, the French Directorate-General for Health (DGS) ordered Perrier, a subsidiary of Nestle, to destroy 2 million bottles of sparkling water suspected of being contaminated with bacteria in "feces", as reported by Red Star News on April 26. Not only did the incident deal a major blow to Swiss food giant Nestlé, but its subsidiary, Perrier, was also under criminal investigation, accused of using illegal means to purify its mineral water.
Image source: Daily Economic News data map
According to documents, the sparkling water of Nestlé Perrier, which was ordered to be destroyed, was produced between March 10 and 14 from a water source near Nîmes in the Gard department in southern France, and it was asked to continue to suspend the use of the contaminated well until further notice. Earlier, health authorities in the Occitanie region in southern France asked Nestlé French Water to "immediately suspend" the production of the water source.
On March 10, Perrier, Nestlé's well-known mineral water brand, discovered bacterial contamination during a routine quality inspection of wells in the Gard department in southern France. Water quality tests showed the presence of E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, both of which indicated the "possibility of fecal contamination".
As a precautionary measure, Nestlé immediately suspended the operation of the affected wells and recalled 2 million bottles of bottled water.
Nestlé blamed Storm Monica in mid-March for the pollution. The heavy rainfall from the storm led to "subtle microbial biases" in water quality.
"The governor of the province of Gard has issued an official notice to Nestlé to suspend the use of one of Nestlé's seven catchments in Vergez due to the risk that this pollution poses to the health of consumers," said a spokesperson for the province of Gard. ”
Natural mineral water is not "natural" Nestlé has been accused of fraud
Nestlé China has stated:
Products sold in China comply with the requirements of relevant laws and regulations
ACCORDING TO NESTLÉ'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE, NESTLÉ'S WATER BUSINESS HAS NEARLY 51 BOTTLED WATER BRANDS AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING INTERNATIONAL BRANDS AND MANY LOCAL BRANDS, INCLUDING PERRIER, VITTEL, CONTREX, SAN PELLEGRINO (SAN PELLEGRINO), ACQUA PANNA, AS WELL AS NEST LÉ QUAREL (SPANISH MARKET), POLAND SPRING (NORTH AMERICAN MARKET) AND OTHER BRANDS.
This is the second time this year that Nestlé has been exposed for drinking water safety issues.
In January this year, according to French media reports quoted by Nandu Weekly, Nestlé admitted to using some purification methods that are not allowed to be used in "natural" mineral water, including ultraviolet light and activated carbon filtration, for some of its mineral water, while the French government was questioned for a long time to know about this but secretly granted exemptions.
Previously, according to Nandu Weekly, on February 4, Nestle China officially issued a statement saying that since the implementation of the transformation plan under the supervision of French government agencies in 2021, all bottled water products of Nestlé French Water Company now meet the relevant regulatory requirements of France. Nestlé China said that the products it sells in China also comply with the requirements of relevant Chinese laws and regulations.
Nestlé China said that in order to ensure the safety of natural mineral water products in France, it uses a finer microfiltration technology compared to the technology previously approved by the French government. "We also use activated carbon filtration and UV systems that are allowed in other regions, which are different from the regulatory requirements for natural mineral water in France. All Nestlé Aqua de France's bottled water products now comply with the requirements for natural mineral water in France. ”
Nestlé said that in 2021, Nestlé took the initiative to report to the French government and proposed a number of improvement plans to ensure compliance thereafter. This includes the submission of scientific evidence to prove that the finer microfiltration technology used by Nestlé in French water sources is not a disinfectant and does not affect the properties of the local natural mineral water. Under the supervision of the French government, Nestlé has stopped processing methods that are not allowed in France. "Nestlé's natural mineral water has always been safe to drink, while also ensuring that the unique mineral composition of each brand of water is consistent with the label. ”
Source: National Business Daily, 21st Century Business Herald, Ningbo Evening News