Shelf Life Of Bottled Water

If you are wondering about the shelf life of bottled water, you should know that the Food and Drug Administration has established no such guideline at this time. According to the IBWA (International Bottled Water Association) bottled water should be stored unopened for about two years at room temperature or cooler than room temperature. If the water has been opened, it should be stored in the refrigerator for no longer than two weeks to avoid the growth of bacteria and algae.

This is a bigger issue than many consumers realize, as some people do not properly store their opened water bottles. If the water isn't kept cold enough harmful organisms can develop in a matter of days. This is why you don't want to leave an opened water bottle out on the table for a few days then drink out of it. In addition, water bottles that are rinsed out and reused can also grow microorganisms that can cause illness. Most experts would recommend that you do not reuse plastic water bottles. Even washing plastic water bottles for reuse may be harmful.

When washed repeatedly at the temperatures necessary to kill bacteria, plastic bottles can break down which doesn't cause any noticeable difference in the bottle but does allow chemicals in the plastic to enter your drinking water. The best thing to do if you are worried about bottled water safety is to throw out that plastic bottle after you're done with it. There are some brands of bottled water like Perrier, San Pellegrino and HiOSilver that come in glass bottles. Glass bottles that have been thoroughly washed and dried can be reused a lot safer than plastic bottles can although it would probably be easier to just get a new bottle of water.

Eventually, the FDA may release official information about the shelf life of bottled water. Until then, the best information is probably the information from the IBWA. You can also check the stamped date on bottled water when you buy it at the store. Water is a product that can be stored unopened for long periods of time without any loss of quality or bacterial growth. Therefore if you would like to stock up, go ahead and do it. As long as you use the water within two years you'll be safe.



Drinking Water Guide




Bottled Water News:
Celebrities' Shameful Bottled Water Habits Revealed SpeakEasy
In his book, Gleick addresses the EURserious environmental and energy consequences of our bottled water use.EUR But, in this recent post, he gets to the serious, but also fun, news of water crazy bottled water requests celebrities make. ...




Drinking Water Guide


Technorati Tags: , ,