title: Microbiological safety of bottled mineral water in patients susceptible to infections.
abstract: We evaluated the microbiological safety of bottled mineral water products commercially available in Japan. Of 10 bottled mineral water products manufactured in Japan, no bacteria or fungi were detected in 9 (90%), but 1 (10%) contained 1.8x10(3) colony-forming units (cfu)/mL. Of 12 bottled mineral water products manufactured in the EU, 11 (91.7%) contained 23-3.5x10(4) cfu/mL. On the other hand, of 5 bottled mineral water products manufactured in North America, 2 (40%) contained 2.3x10(2)-2.5x10(3) cfu/mL. The detected microorganisms were glucose-nonfermentative Gram-negative bacilli such as Brevundimonas vesicularis, Moraxella spp., and Burkholderia cepacia, but Pseudomonas aeruginosa was not detected in any product. For immunocompromised host patients being managed in ultra-clean rooms, the examined bottled mineral water products manufactured in Japan, except 1, were microbiologically safe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Yamaguchi University Hospital. Ube, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeharu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oie
authors.forename: Yuuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuzaka
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kiyonaga
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kamiya
mesh_terms: D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007564:Japan; D008900:Mineral Waters / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D008900:Mineral Waters