Recalled water already sold out

Thousands of mineral water bottles that were to be recalled by authorities last week were already sold out by Dubai retailers when the Dubai Municipality wanted to take them off the shelf, an official said on Monday. However, consumers who might have drunk the water need not be  panic as the product does not pose any threat to public health and the rest of the batches available in the market comply with standards, officials reassured adding that the company’s products remain under constant scrutiny. A batch of 500ml mineral water bottles produced by leading brand Masafi was recalled by the Ministry of Environment and Water after tests found excessive amount of bromate, the constant consumption of which can cause cancer. The recall order to all the civic bodies in the country came after the Dubai Municipality alerted the ministry and other municipalities about the findings of the tests conducted at the Dubai Central Laboratory. Shaima Al Tenaiji, deputy head for Food Studies and Planning Section at Municipality’s Food Control Department, said the high level of bromate was discovered during a routine monthly test. The presence of bromate, a chemical formed during the disinfection of water, in the samples of one particular batch of the water was just above the approved limit as per the Gulf specifications. While the approved limit is 10ppm (parts per million), the tests showed the samples contained 11ppm. “It was a minor error, though it shouldn’t have happened. But, we immediately contacted the plant and checked the other samples,” she told Khaleej Times. According to Al Tenaiji, only the batch of bottles produced in the morning of February 17 contained excessive bromate. “We checked the evening batch and different batches produced later. Nothing was wrong in any of that.” She said the company was asked to take immediate corrective action, following which the latter presented a compliance report. “When we wanted to remove the bottles from the market we learnt that they were already out of stock. But, we informed the municipalities in other emirates and the Ministry so that they can take it off the shelf if it is still available elsewhere ... and it is a regular procedure that we follow.” Salem bin Mesmar, Assistant Director General of Health, Safety and Environment Monitoring Sector, said the company’s products are under “more frequent” checks and the public should not worry about consuming the products available in the market. Last week, Masafi also reassured that its bottled mineral water is safe for consumption and does not pose any health risks. It may be recalled that the last time the company’s water bottles were recalled was in December 2009. Reports said the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority had recalled half a million bottles produced on October 12, 2009 for containing impurities visible to the naked eye.