In July 2015, Consumer Report tested 10 brands of natural mineral water and 2 natural waters, evaluating them through multiple physicochemical indicators, with surprising results. As consumers, it is difficult to understand water quality through such professional data, so "authoritative" results become the first choice for consumers. Currently, the domestic mid-to-high-end water market is fiercely competitive. It is hard to say whether the stance of this article is absolutely fair or if there is any possibility of manipulation behind it. This article does not represent the stance of this official account; it is published for readers to read discerningly.

Choosing water is choosing a water source. In today's increasingly similar packaged drinking water market, brand competition has gradually transformed into competition over water sources. Drinking water reminds us of its source; good water is marked by being "natural and unpolluted," and like good air, it has become a luxury for a few. However, with a dazzling array of packaged drinking waters on the market, which water has better quality? Which has a better ecological environment at its source?

In July 2015, Consumer Report sent for testing 7 natural mineral waters including Nongfu Spring, Kunlun Mountain, 5100 Tibet Glacier, Jingtian Baishuishan, Uni-President alkaqua, French Perrier, and Danone Yili, as well as 4 infant waters including Nongfu Spring, Jurassic, Blue湾, and Santa Anna, and one Nongfu Spring natural water, measuring N1 index, total phosphorus, and total organic carbon (TOC) as human pollution indicators.

The results showed that the N1 index of all 12 packaged drinking waters was below 0.5, meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) requirements for good water. Additionally, no total phosphorus or total organic carbon was detected in any of the tested waters, indicating minimal pollution at the water sources.

Among them, Blue湾 natural mineral water from New Zealand had the lowest N1 index at 0.021, indicating the least pollution at its source. In contrast, Jurassic drinking natural mineral water, marketed as "maternal and infant water," had an N1 index of 0.376.

All brands meet "good water" requirements The WHO stipulates that the sum of the ratio of nitrate measurement to standard value and the ratio of nitrite measurement to standard value should be less than or equal to 1.

"Extensive data research has found that the total nitrate nitrogen in natural high-quality mineral water and natural spring water in nature is less than 0.5," Li Fuxing, director of the Beijing Public Health Drinking Water Research Institute, told Consumer Report. "Therefore, we set 0.5 as the critical value for 'good water.' We named this calculation formula the N1 index." The conversion formula for N1 is: N1 = nitrate measurement/standard value + nitrite measurement/standard value.

"For good air, we look at PM2.5; for good water, we look at N1. The significance of the N1 index is no less than PM2.5," emphasized hydrogeology expert Wang Bingchen.

The national standard "GB 8537-2008 Drinking Natural Mineral Water" stipulates that drinking natural mineral water shall not use containers to transport raw water to another location for bottling.

"The biggest difference between different mineral waters lies in the water source, which is the key to determining product quality and grade. Its importance ranks first in the water industry and is increasingly recognized by consumers," An Keshi, a researcher at the Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, told this magazine.

Therefore, the quality of the water source and processing techniques will affect the quality of mineral water. Testing the N1 index can best reflect the pollution status of the water source and evaluate the water quality of the product.

The higher the N1 value, the more polluted the water source. All mineral waters and natural waters tested in this issue had N1 indices below 0.5, falling within the "good water" category. Blue湾 natural mineral water from New Zealand had an N1 index of only 0.021, while Jurassic natural mineral water had an N1 index of 0.376, showing a certain difference in water quality. (See Figure 1)

"Current water pollution mainly comes from human activities, such as fertilizers, domestic waste, and the atmosphere. If the N1 index exceeds the standard, the probability of the water source being polluted by other pollutants will increase," Li Fuxing pointed out. "If you accidentally drink polluted water, it may cause various acute or chronic poisoning, and even long-term harm such as cancer."

Changbai Mountain is not the best water source A survey of 295 netizens conducted by Consumer Report on mineral water showed that 52% of consumers pay attention to the water source. This shows that companies' "brainwashing" advertisements emphasizing water sources have begun to show results.

Under the bombardment of advertisements, Changbai Mountain has almost become synonymous with the best water source. However, based on the test results of this issue, there is no obvious difference between the water from Changbai Mountain and water from other sources.

"Total phosphorus and total organic carbon represent phosphorus pollution and organic matter pollution caused by human activities. The smaller the content, the less pollution from human activities," Zhao Feihong, director of the Drinking Water Professional Committee of the Beijing Health Protection Association, said in an interview with this magazine.

Among the 12 packaged drinking waters tested, total phosphorus and total organic carbon were not detected, and combined with N1 index analysis (see Figure 1), all water sources had minimal pollution from human activities.

The Changbai Mountain water source, known nationwide for its high quality, is not particularly outstanding in data compared to many other water sources.

"The key to the water we can drink is the water source. In fact, buying water is buying the water source. Therefore, when choosing water, consumers should first look at where the water source is, because it directly affects the quality of the water you purchase," Zhao Feihong believes.

"Regarding the delineation of water source protection zones, national standards have strict regulations, and foreign countries also have clear requirements. For example, the French government stipulates that no human pollution is allowed within 500 kilometers around the Evian water source," An Keshi emphasized.

However, this magazine's survey showed that 69% of consumers do not choose mineral water from specific water sources.

Faced with a dazzling array of mineral waters, how should consumers choose? Which one is more full-bodied and delicious, with a sweet aftertaste? Is the "rare low-sodium water" advertised suitable for all people?

In July 2015, Consumer Report sent 13 mineral waters and natural waters from 11 brands, including Nongfu Spring, Kunlun Mountain, 5100 Tibet Glacier, Jingtian Baishuishan, Uni-President alkaqua, Evergrande Spring, French Perrier, Danone Yili, Jurassic, Blue湾, and Santa Anna, to a third-party testing agency for taste index and sodium content testing.

The test data showed that the 13 packaged drinking waters had relatively obvious differences in taste. The lowest taste index was Kunlun Mountain雪山 natural mineral water, at only 0.191. For consumers with sensitive taste buds, they may feel bitterness within a certain range; Danone Yili drinking natural mineral water had a taste index of 15.272, and most people can feel sweetness on the tip of the tongue when drinking it.

Blue湾 natural mineral water had the lowest sodium content at 1.32mg/L, making it low-sodium water. In contrast, Jurassic mineral water had a sodium content as high as 154mg/L, making it unsuitable for special populations to drink frequently.

9 waters have excellent taste, 3 have weaker taste There has been no relevant standard for evaluating the taste of mineral water, lacking quantitative tools, so most merchants focus their advertising on high-quality water sources. Apart from the early "Nongfu Spring is a bit sweet," descriptions of taste in water advertisements have been rare in recent years.

Professor Hashimoto of Osaka University in Japan, after investigating and analyzing the mineral composition of tap water and beverages in Japan and the world, believes that the taste index is closely related to five components (calcium, potassium, silicon dioxide, magnesium, and sulfate). The formula he proposed for evaluating drinking water taste is: Taste Index OI = (Ca2+ + K+ + SiO2) / (Mg2+ + SO42-) ≥ 2. According to the formula, the taste of water is positively correlated with the taste index; the higher the value, the sweeter and more delicious the water. "2" is the critical value for taste quality.

"The higher the calcium ion content, the more full-bodied the water. An appropriate amount of potassium ions can make water sweeter, and silicon dioxide also helps improve the taste. However, excessive magnesium ions and sulfate can make water bitter and astringent. Only when the content of these five ions is in a relatively balanced range can water become sweet and full-bodied, and taste good," Zhao Feihong, director of the Drinking Water Professional Committee of the Beijing Health Protection Association, told Consumer Report.

Among the 12 packaged drinking waters tested this time, 9 had taste indices above 2. The best-tasting were Danone Yili drinking natural mineral water and Jingtian Baishuishan natural mineral water, with taste indices of 16.35 and 14.07, respectively. (See Figure 2)

In contrast, Jurassic drinking natural mineral water and Kunlun Mountain雪山 mineral water had taste indices of only 0.31 and 0.53, not meeting the minimum recommended taste index. Some consumers may feel bitterness when drinking these two waters.

However, some experts hold different opinions on this. "Taste is a matter of opinion. Some people may find something delicious and sweet, while others with a higher threshold may find it tasteless," said Liu Dongmei, associate professor at the School of Light Industry and Food Science, South China University of Technology.

Jurassic and Kunlun Mountain are not suitable for special populations As people's quality of life continues to improve, "affluenza" diseases are also gradually appearing. Scientific research shows that excessive salt intake can easily cause hypertension, myocardial infarction, and cancer.

The main component of salt is sodium chloride. Controlling salt intake is actually controlling sodium intake.

According to the dietary recommendations in the "Chinese Dietary Reference Intakes" formulated by the Chinese Nutrition Society, the appropriate daily sodium intake for adults over 18 is 2200mg, equivalent to about 6g of salt. For infants aged 0-0.5 years and 0.5-1 year, the appropriate daily sodium intake is only 200mg and 500mg, respectively.

According to the WHO's "Guideline: Sodium Intake for Adults and Children," increasing sodium intake increases the risk of stroke, fatal stroke, and fatal coronary heart disease. Reducing sodium intake can lower blood pressure and the risk of related non-communicable diseases.

"For special populations, such as artificially fed infants, the elderly, hypertensive patients, and those with low immunity, the sodium content in drinking water should not exceed 20mg/L. Only water with sodium content below 20mg/L can be called low-sodium water," Professor Li Fuxing, director of the Beijing Public Health Drinking Water Research Institute, said in an interview with this magazine.

Among the 12 packaged drinking waters tested this time, 9 had sodium content below 20mg/L, with Blue湾 natural mineral water having the lowest at 1.32mg/L.

Three mineral waters had sodium content above 20mg/L, with Jurassic drinking natural mineral water reaching 154mg/L. For special populations, frequent consumption may have certain effects on health. (See Figure 3)

The "Chinese Dietary Guidelines" issued by the Chinese Ministry of Health recommends a daily water intake of about 1200ml per person. How much sodium would be consumed if drinking 1200ml of the above 12 packaged drinking waters? According to calculations by this magazine, 1200mL of Jurassic drinking natural mineral water contains 184.80mg of sodium, which poses a certain risk for infants aged 0-0.5 years.

Waters marketed under the banner of "maternal and infant water" or "baby water" are quietly gaining popularity in the market. However, in China, there are no relevant standards for such new-concept water products. What is so special about baby water that companies need to create a separate category?

In July 2015, Consumer Report sent 4 infant waters, including Nongfu Spring drinking natural water (suitable for infants), Italian Santa Anna baby mineral water, Blue湾 natural mineral water, and Jurassic drinking natural mineral water, to an authoritative third-party testing agency for testing of N1, total phosphorus, total organic carbon, sodium, and total colony count, and compared them with 3 Nongfu Spring waters within the brand.

The test data showed that Jurassic had excessive sodium content, making it unsuitable for infant consumption, and its total colony count far exceeded other brands. The three Nongfu Spring waters showed little difference in various indicators.

Jurassic water is not suitable for infants As described in the first test report of this magazine, the water source is an important indicator of water performance. The N1 index, total phosphorus content, and total organic carbon content represent the degree of pollution from human activities. The lower the values, the less pollution at the water source and the more natural the water quality.

According to the requirements of the "Drinking Water Index N1," only when N1 is less than 0.5 can it be called good water. Among the 4 infant waters compared in this issue, all had N1 indices below 0.5, falling within the good water category. (See Figure 4)

"Infant drinking water is mainly used for preparing formula milk. If the baby is breastfed, this issue is basically not a concern," Jiao Tong, a national first-level nutritionist, told Consumer Report. "Once the child starts drinking water independently, as long as it meets national drinking water standards, boiled water can be safely given to the child, but it is not recommended to give children water with high hardness."

The survey results of this magazine on packaged drinking water showed that among 295 people, 95.8% of consumers are willing to buy baby water. For the healthy growth of their children, most parents are willing to choose seemingly safer baby water for their children.

Multiple brands, represented by Nongfu Spring, which emphasizes "user experience," have launched baby water. However, China has not established specific standards for infant water, and the definition of baby water can only be self-proclaimed by companies.

The WHO's 2003 publication "Nutrient minerals in drinking water: implications for the nutrition of infants and young children" recommends that sodium content in bottled water suitable for infant feeding should be less than or equal to 20mg/L. Additionally, several European countries have regulations for sodium content in infant drinking water of less than or equal to 20mg/L.

The test results of this issue showed that the sodium content of Blue湾, Santa Anna, and Nongfu Spring were all below 20mg/L, while Jurassic drinking natural mineral water had a sodium content as high as 154mg/L. (See Figure 4)

"Infants' kidneys are not fully developed. If the sodium content in drinking water is too high, it will increase the burden on their digestive system and cause certain chronic toxicity to the child," an anonymous nutrition and food safety expert told this magazine.

Nongfu Spring's sterile water is redundant The "maternal and infant water" and "baby water" currently on the market all emphasize the concept of "sterile." Is this reliable?

In fact, neither the existing national standards for drinking water, "GB 8537-2008 Drinking Natural Mineral Water" and "GB19298-2014 Packaged Drinking Water," have limits on total colony count. The only standard that has requirements for total colony count is "GB5749-2006 Sanitary Standard for Drinking Water," with a limit of 100cfu/ml.

Foreign standards also do not have unified regulations on total colony count. The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Japan have not imposed requirements on total colony count in packaged drinking water.

"Total colony count is a hygiene indicator bacterium. Under normal circumstances, it does not affect public health; it is mainly pathogenic bacteria that are harmful to human health. The original national standard for mineral water had a limit for total colony count, but it was removed when the new national standard was revised in 2008. Additionally, the 2014 national standard for packaged drinking water also removed the total colony count requirement," Luo Tan, president of the Guangdong Provincial Bottled Drinking Water Industry Association, told this magazine. "Although the national standard no longer has a one-size-fits-all approach, we still require companies to strictly control this indicator during production."

Based on the test results of this issue, Nongfu Spring, which first promoted sterile water, had total colony counts of less than 1CFU/ml for both its natural water and baby water, and Italian Santa Anna baby mineral water also had a total colony count of less than 1CFU/ml.

Blue湾 and Jurassic had total colony counts of 176cfu/ml and 1900cfu/ml, respectively. Although they met the national standard for mineral water, they were below the standard for drinking water. (See Figure 5)

As for Nongfu Spring, which first promoted "commercially sterile infant water," there was no practical difference found in the comparison of its products within the brand. The natural water and baby water tested this time both had total colony counts of less than 1CFU/ml. (See Figure 6)

In other words, before launching the concept of "sterile water," it had already achieved sterility. As for the necessity of "sterility" for infant drinking water, experts remain cautious.

Zhu Yi, associate professor at the College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, once told the media: "Bottled water has removed the total colony count indicator, and there is no need to fear other pathogenic bacteria. If infants' diet is too clean and their growth environment is too clean, they may not get enough bacterial exercise, which could lead to an allergic constitution. Excessive cleanliness may not be the best for children. Some bacteria are allowed to exist; the concept of sterility is not a health concept."

Danone Yili and Jingtian Baishuishan perform excellently From safe water to healthy water to natural unpolluted water, high-quality water sources have gradually become one of the important indicators for consumers when purchasing packaged drinking water.

A battle over water sources has also begun among major water companies. Whether you are a "porter of nature," a "noble among waters," or "one source supplying the world," flashy promotional methods often cannot be separated from the water source. While advertising their products, companies also label their water sources with words like precious, valuable, golden, scarce, hundreds of millions of years, and tens of millions of meters.

According to the test results of this magazine, Danone Yili and Jingtian Baishuishan performed excellently in terms of sodium content, taste, N1 index, and other aspects, with relatively good comprehensive evaluations. In terms of price, 5100 Tibet Glacier mineral water and French (Paris) Perrier water are much more expensive than other mineral waters, but their indicators are not significantly outstanding, so their cost performance is not high. (See Figure 7)

It is worth mentioning that Nongfu Spring natural water, with its low price and good quality, pushed many mineral waters behind, truly being "cheap and good" packaged water.

Infant water Jurassic ranks last In the series of infant drinking water, 3 mineral waters received excellent scores in this test, and Nongfu Spring's "sterile water" was just a gimmick. Jurassic baby water had sodium content far exceeding other brands, making it unsuitable for children with immature development. Therefore, this magazine recommends that consumers choose carefully. (See Figure 8)

"As long as drinking water meets national standards, there is no obvious difference between brands, and they can all be used with confidence. If conditions allow, water with less mineral content is better for infants and young children," Jiao Tong, a national first-level nutritionist, told Consumer Report.

"Bottled water that can enter large, medium, and small supermarkets meets national standards. When purchasing water, consumers should clearly check the brand, check for leaks, whether the cap and anti-counterfeit mark are intact, whether there are foreign objects, shelf life, and water source. If you encounter mineral water with unreasonable prices, incomplete factory name, address, or production license number, you should choose carefully. In addition, you can pay attention to the quarterly sampling inspection results published by the provincial food and drug administration and purchase qualified products," suggested Luo Tan, president of the Guangdong Provincial Bottled Drinking Water Industry Association.

Chen Zhenxi, deputy director of the Guidance Department of the Guangdong Provincial Consumers' Committee, told this magazine: "Consumers should pay attention to the purchase location and channel of mineral water, read the water label carefully before purchasing, and also keep the shopping receipt so that they can protect their rights smoothly if product problems or consumption disputes arise."

Source: Consumer Report

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