Study of the microbiological status of bottled natural mineral, spring and table waters for the period 2015 - 2024

Regional Health Inspectorate – Plovdiv, 1 Perushtitsa Street, Bulgaria

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Abstract

Natural mineral and spring waters are good examples of pristine aquatic habitats, as their aquifers originate from underground sources protected and are protected from anthropogenic interference. The widespread consumption of these waters necessitates strict adherence to sanitary and hygienic requirements established by national and European regulations, thereby ensuring their quality and safety. Compliance with these requirements is controlled by annual monitoring. The present study is in this regard. Its objective is to perform a comprehensive analysis of the microbiological monitoring results for bottled mineral, spring and table waters over the period 2015 – 2024, aiming to evaluate their microbiological quality and identify the indicator with the highest rate of non-compliance. A total of 696 bottled water samples were analyzed in according with the requirements of the Ordinance on the Requirements for Bottled Waters Intended for Drinking Purposes. The examined microbiological indicators are defined by national legislation. The used methods are ISO standards. Throughout the observation period the indicator Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibited the highest degree of deviation from regulatory standarts. Out of 45 analyses that failed to meet the requirements of the Ordinance, 33 were non-compliant by the indicator Pseudomonas aeruginosa which represents 73.3% of the failures. The high prevalence of P. aeruginosa in bottled water can be explained by its capacity for biofilm formation and its inherent resistance to chlorine disinfection.