Mineral water is also not immune from pollution. Altroconsumo he examined 21 Among the best -selling labels in Italydiscovering traces of TFA, a substance that belongs to the Pfas family, in most of the samples analyzed.
Marketing has always presented natural mineral water as a symbol of purityassociating it with intact sources, protected by uncontaminated mountain scenarios, capable of guaranteeing a healthy product without any form of pollution. This perception, rooted in the mind of consumers, comes into crisis when examining the data that emerged from the most recent scientific investigations and the tests carried out by independent bodies. Even between the bottles we buy with confidence, traces of unwanted substances can be hidden, such as the Pfas and their derivatives.
The picture clearly emerges from the last analysis carried out by Altroconsumo, who tested 21 brands of natural mineral water present on the shelves of Italian supermarkets.
The study included labels distributed in different Italian geographical areas, with the addition of a French reference from the Alps. The results show how Environmental contamination interests many of these acquiresAnd so much so that, at best, they manage to obtain a sufficient evaluation. Only three waters are free of TFA, a chemical compound linked to the PFAS.
The ranking of Altroconsumo: the best is of Eurospin
The investigation made it possible to define a precise ranking, separating the safer waters from those that raise greater critical issues. Among the best stands Blues Sant’Antonio (Eurospin)which he conquered 71 pointswinning the title of Better than the test and that of Best purchasethanks to a quality considered excellent and a competitive price, confirming that the best water is also found at the discount.
Next to Blues Sant’Antonio, four other brands have reported one positive evaluation:
On the opposite front, six mineral waters reported a insufficient judgment:
Despite the widespread presence of TFA, As many as 11 out of 21 labels received a positive global evaluation Thanks to a good balance in the composition, the low presence of other pollutants and the attention to the environment. Altroconsumo has published the complete ranking on its portal, which we report below
What we know about the TFA
The test revealed that the main contaminant detected in the bottles analyzed is the TFA (trifluoroacetic acid), substance connected to the so -called “eternal pollutants” of the Pfas familyknown for their persistence in the environment. Almost all the waters subjected to analysis contained traces of TFA, with three exceptions: Blues Sant’Antonio of Eurospin, Conad Valpura and San Benedetto Eco Green Benedicta.
The TFA can have Origin from different sources, from industrial to pesticides processes, to fluorinated materials, and tends to remain in the environment for decades once released. There are still no specific limits at European level for the concentration of TFA in mineral waters, for which Altroconsumo has compared the data collected with the maximum limit set for total pfas in potable waters, equal to 500 nanograms per liter.
On the health front, the current knowledge on the TFA remain limited. The experts hypothesize possible harmful effects on the liver and the reproductive systemin line with what is found for other substances of the same family. EFSA (European Food Security Authority has already announced a review of the scientific evaluation on the TFA, with a new opinion scheduled for 2026.
The requests of Altroconsumo
Pending updates from the authorities, Altroconsumo has submitted precise requests to Italian and European decision makers:
The position of Altroconsumo
Federico Cavallo, Public Affairs manager of Altroconsumo, said:
Our test shows that potentially harmful substances are also found in very large consumption products such as bottle mineral water. We have brought these concerns to the attention of parliamentary commissions, asking for Italy that it rigorously incorporates the European directive on water quality.
Horse highlighted how the PFAS problem is not the only one, since the presence of arsenic found in Marche known as Levissima and Fiuggi reports a wider pollution, which requires constant monitoring.
How the investigation took place
The test that saw 21 different brands of mineral water analyzed has considered i following parameters:
Mineraqua’s reply
After the publication of the investigation, the Mineracqua Federationwhich within Confindustria represents the companies active in the sector of natural and source mineral waters, sent a communication to the editorial staff. The message of the delegated councilor and vice -president Ettore Fortuna reports the following:
“We are for the umpteenth time surprised in verifying the approximation with which Altroconsumo represented some analytical results relating to unilaterally conducted tests, of which we ignore the methods and which discredit the quality of Italian mineral waters.
First of all, we want to point out that the safety of natural mineral waters on the market is guaranteed by the “clear” control supply chain – from the source to the finished product – to which the ASLs contribute with the analytical support of the ARPA, the HACCP procedures of the companies, the annual analyzes carried out by the universities for the maintenance of the ministerial recognition. The finished product (the bottle) is then subject to frequent samples at the points of sale by the competent bodies (ASL, NAS, etc.) for subsequent analytical checks of conformity.
We now come to examine some “peculiar” interpretations that Altroconsumo offers to their readers in relation to the results of these investigations:
1. Excessive levels of TFA: in rejected products it was found in excessive quantities (according to the parameters used to ensure the quality of drinking water)
Currently, in Italy, no limit for the TFA is applied in potable waters; A draft decree of amendment of Legislative Decree 18/2023 on the potable waters proposes the limit of 10 μg/l, but this draft has not yet found implementation. Therefore, there is no current parameter “used to ensure the safety of drinking water”. The communication of Altroconsumo is therefore misleading, both as it is incorrect in referring to a non -existing regulatory limit and because it is alarmistic when it uses the term “excessive”. Excessive compared to what? To a limit that does not exist or to a personal interpretation of the “Evidence Based Public Health”? A “transparent” information should have compared the results of the TFA in the mineral waters examined with the concentrations present in the potable waters and conclude on the basis of these comparisons that the possible presence of TFA in mineral waters is however at levels well below those found on average in the potable waters.
2. The “presence” and “excessive levels” of heavy metals such as aluminum, arsenic, manganese and nickel
Given that arsenic and aluminum are not heavy metals while they are manganese and nickel, it is good to remember that for these compounds the limits for a water (mineral or drinkable that it is) are always established on safety criteria: the limit for the arsenic is in fact equal to 10 μg/l is for mineral waters and for potable waters. It follows, to give an example that a water containing 9 μg/l of arsenic and one containing 1 μg/L are equivalent from the toxicological point of view, that is, both ofble for sure. We also remind you that the manganese is an essential element, and therefore it is necessary to take it into account in the information to the consumer. Finally, remember that for aluminum there are no safety limits neither for mineral waters (parameter to be analyzed but without limit) nor for potable waters (it is among the indicators with value to 200 μg/l). Also in this case the communication mode is alarmistic and misleading for the consumer.
3. A high content of nitrates in natural mineral water can indicate a human contamination of the source
Nitrates are up of nitric acid and constitute a vegetable nourishing essential absorbed by plants from the ground. They are composed largely present in nature and equipped with very high solubility in water. Nitrates represent the nitrogen form more easily absorbable by the radical system of plants; Once absorbed, they are used for the synthesis of complex substances essential for the structure and function of plants (proteins, nucleic acids). Nitrates are therefore a natural component in fruit, vegetables and cereals. It is for these reasons that nitrates are present in all waters (minerals and tap), and they are not (except for specific cases) pollution indicators. Also in this case the communication of Altroconsumo is alarmistic and misleading for the consumer “.
