Mineral Water

Mineral water is water containing minerals or other dissolved substances that alter its taste or give it therapeutic value. Salts, sulfur compounds, and gases are among the substances that can be dissolved in the water. Mineral water can often be effervescent. Mineral water can be prepared or can occur naturally. In many places, mineral water is often colloquially used to mean carbonated water, which is usually carbonated mineral water, as opposed to tap water.

Bottled water is drinking water as a packaged food product, regulated by national and local agencies, that allows consumers to purchase and consume water at different locations. The dominant form is water packaged in bottles for individual consumption and retail sale. Another popular form is water that comes in larger glass or plastic jugs, intended for use in the office or home.

Broadly speaking, "mineral water" is groundwater that has emerged from the ground and flowed over rock. Treatment of mineral water is restricted to removal of unstable elements such as iron and sulfur compounds. Treatment for such minerals can only extend to filtration or decanting with oxygenation. Free carbon dioxide may be removed only by physical methods, and the regulations for introduction (or reintroduction) of CO₂ are strictly defined. Disinfection of natural mineral water is completely prohibited, including the addition of any element that is likely to change bacterial colony counts.

Bottled water processed with distillation or reverse osmosis lacks fluoride ions which are sometimes naturally present in ground water. The drinking of distilled water may conceivably increase the risk of tooth decay due to a lack of this element. According to the NRDC, that about 22 percent of brands that were tested contain, in at least one sample, chemical contaminants at levels above strict state health limits, some of which may pose health risks, if consumed over a long period of time.