Source water will continue to be monitored according to current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) criteria, but the new rule mandates that finished bottled water products be tested at least once a year, starting April 2012.
This 0.006 mg/l limit has been observed by the International Bottled Water Association since 1995. Consequently, the FDA declared that they do not expect to find higher levels with increased monitoring. The limit was formalised as a preventative measure, officials said.
The FDA also explained that the regulations were based on the Environmental Protection Agency’s limit for DEHP in public drinking water. According to the EPA, “Long-term, chronic exposure to DEHP above the MCL of 0.006 mg/l may have the potential to cause health effects in humans, including damage to liver and testes, reproductive effects, and cancer.”
Source: EMSL Analytical
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024