Thousands of water bottles have been recalled across West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cites bacterial contamination.
The recall specifically mentions Berkeley Springs Purified Water and Berkeley Springs Distilled Water in 1- and 5-gallon bottles, according to a report from Health.
A total of 151,397.75 bottles of water, marked with codes 090326, 090426, 090526 and 090626, were affected.
The recall was initiated in September, but on November 8 it was assigned a Class III designation, which the agency describes as “a situation in which use or exposure to the offending product is unlikely to cause adverse health effects.”
Stock image of a water bottle.
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The bacteria present are coliforms, which Newsweek explains “it is unlikely to cause disease, but it may indicate other pathogens.” Berkeley Club Beverages, Inc., voluntarily recalled the products mentioned by the FDA.
As the Environmental Protection Agency explains: “Total coliforms are a group of related bacteria that (with a few exceptions) are not harmful to humans. Various bacteria, parasites and viruses, known as pathogens, can potentially cause health problems if humans ingest them. EPA considers total coliforms a useful indicator of other pathogens for drinking water. Total coliforms are used to determine the adequacy of water treatment and the integrity of the distribution system.”
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PEOPLE reached out to Berkeley Club Beverages, Inc. for comment on this matter.
This is the third recall of bottled water in a year, Newsweek notes. More than 78,500 cases of Fiji Natural Artisan Water were recalled in March due to the presence of bacteria and manganese minerals, and 3,800 cases of Waiakea Hawaiian Volcanic Water Naturally Alkaline Electrolytes Deep Well Water were recalled last November after customers complained of unidentified “floating particles .”
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Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education