Many are led to consider – complicit evocative and often deceptive commercials – pure and healthy natural mineral water, coming from uncontaminated sources. But luckily, the analyzes that question this idyllic vision are increasingly increasing.
The last test, conducted by the Swiss magazine K-Tipphas raised concerns about presence of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)a chemical substance deriving from the decomposition of the PFAS (per- and polypluoroalchilic substances), in mineral waters mostly sold in Switzerland.
The experts in fact tested 15 different brands of natural mineral water, of which 13 Swiss and 2 French, discovering that almost all contained traces of TFA.
The waters that were without of contamination from the tests are:
Among the contaminated watersthe highest level of TFA has been found:
Already a similar analysis had detected lower concentrations, indicating a worrying increase in the presence of this substance in the waters under examination. Meanwhile, the companies involved minimizes the question, claiming that the TFA does not represent a risk to human health and that mineral water can still be considered natural and pure.
However, experts warn that The persistent presence of TFA raises significant problemsin particular due to the difficulty of removing it from the waters with traditional filtering methods. The TFA, in fact, is highly stable in the environment and can only be eliminated with complex techniques such as reverse osmosis, which is expensive and modifies the natural mineral composition of the water.
TFA also in tap waters
About a year ago, the TFA was also detected in European tap waters. An analysis highlighted the presence of TFA in 94% of the tap water samples taken in 11 European countries, and in 63% of the bottled waters, with concentrations well above the limits established by the new European directive on potable waters.
The NGO Pesticide Action Network Europe He denounced the contamination of rivers, lakes and groundwater, and carried out further analyzes on the waters intended for human consumption.
The analysis of the lifeguard in Italy
Also in Italy, the life preserver led an analysis on the quality of the mineral waters, highlighting the presence of pesticides in many of the tested waters. The test, carried out on 18 brands released in Italy, revealed that alone four Mineral waters:
which were completely without pesticides. The remaining 14 contained traces of phytopharmacieswhile remaining within the legal limits, with some samples showing the presence of multiple residues simultaneously. This raises concerns about the safety and purity of mineral waters in Italy, since the cumulative effects of multiple pesticides, albeit within the limits, could have still little explored consequences.
The risks to health
The safety of substances such as TFA and pesticides in mineral waters is the subject of discussion between scientists and health authorities. Although in 2016 the European Food Security Agency (EFSA) had classified the TFA as low for health, recent studies suggest that it could have negative impacts on fertility and fetal development. Animal tests have shown that the TFA can cause deformations in fetuses, including eye damage and skeletal malformations.
Even the pesticide contamination, highlighted by the life preserver, raises doubts about the long -term safety of the consumption of these waters. Although the levels detected are low, the chronic accumulation of pesticides and the combined effects on vulnerable categories such as pregnant women and children require attention.
The Swiss and Italian authorities have not yet set specific limits for the TFA and some pesticides, but the urgency to face the question is growing. Experts suggest that the only way to protect the quality of mineral waters both prevent substances such as pfas and pesticides enter the environment. What would all this require? Certainly a careful radical revision of agricultural, industrial and environmental policies to limit contamination. And we are still zero.
Mineraqua’s reply
We receive and publish:
We reassure consumers on the fact that the waters analyzed in the study mentioned on the presence of TFA are not Italian, but exclusively French and Swiss, as reported by yourself.
In addition, the article also returns to an investigation of Il Salvagente dating back to 2024 on the presence of pesticides in Italian mineral waters, which we had already replied clarifying that the analyzes have not found in the waters analyzed these substances above the legal limits.
