WRITTEN QUESTION E-2686/02

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(26 September 2002)

Subject: Contaminated bottled water

Research carried out by the Swiss Food Monitoring Laboratory on behalf of the Swiss Government has found viruses in eleven European brands of bottled water which are responsible for many cases of gastro-enteritis. In view of the fact that the samples which showed positive for traces of viruses came from water bottled in Switzerland, Italy and France, but which are sold throughout the European Union, could the Commission say whether it is aware of this research? Does it believe that these results are a cause for concern and, if so, does it intend to take any action?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(7 November 2002)

In April 2002 a laboratory of the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health(1) published scientific studies(2) which had found traces of Norwalk-like viruses in several natural mineral waters from various Member States, attracting extensive media coverage in Belgium, France and the Netherlands for several days. The Commission, in conjunction with the Member States' monitoring authorities, looked at whether these studies gave reason to suspect a possible viral contamination of the natural mineral waters concerned and whether they pointed to a possible public health risk.

The Commission is particularly interested in research of this type.

This publication followed up research work on the detection of Norwalk viruses in waters, particularly natural mineral waters, which had been going on for nearly five years. A first paper(3) on this subject was published by the same laboratory in October 2000. A network of seven European research laboratories then undertook further research into the detection of Norwalk viruses in natural mineral waters, without finding any evidence of a public health risk.

The Commission also consulted the Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures relating to Public Health (SCVPH) about the public health risk associated with the possible contamination of food or water by Norwalk viruses, which are the main cause of non-bacterial gastroenteritis. The Committee's opinion(4) mentions the Swiss study, but states that its results need to be confirmed by further scientific work before it can be concluded that there may be a public health risk.

The Commission is of the opinion that the research findings published in April 2002 do not constitute evidence of a possible risk to public health.

Directive 80/777/EEC(5) stipulates that natural mineral waters must be protected against all contamination. It does not make provision for any compulsory virological research, but establishes microbiological criteria for the detection of any faecal contamination. It also states that natural mineral waters must be free from all pathogenic micro-organisms (including pathogenic viruses).

The Swiss study did in fact find traces of genetic material from Norwalk viruses by using molecular biology analysis methods which can detect very small quantities of viruses. On the other hand, these methods do not provide any indication of the viability or infectiousness of the viruses detected. Additional research, not carried out as part of this study, would be needed in order to be able to establish whether there is any risk of infection. Furthermore, the Swiss study did not reveal any microbiological contamination, and hence no faecal contamination, of the mineral waters tested.

This research therefore does not lead to the conclusion, at this stage, that certain natural mineral waters are contaminated by Norwalk viruses in a manner likely to present a public health risk. Nor have the European Union's epidemiological surveillance networks as yet reported any gastroenteritis epidemics of bacterial or viral origin which might be linked to the consumption of bottled water.

(1) Cantonal Food Laboratory, Solothurn (Switzerland).

(2) Norwalk-like virus sequences in natural mineral waters: one year monitoring of three brands, in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, April 2002, by C. Beuret et al.

(3) Norwalk-like virus sequences detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in mineral waters imported into or bottled in Switzerland, in Journal of Food Protection, October 2000, by C. Beuret et al.

(4) Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures relating to Public Health (SCVPH) adopted on 30 January 2002.

(5) Council Directive 80/777/EEC of 15 July 1980 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the exploitation and marketing of natural mineral waters, OJ L 229, 30.8.1980, most recently amended by Directive 96/70/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 October 1996, OJ L 299, 23.11.1996.