Does sealed bottled water have a shelf life?

sequoianoir

Manufacturers (bottlers) of the stuff obviously think so otherwise they would not put 'best before' dates on the labeling. Sparkling water may ultimately lose all its fizz. The UK food standards people sometime ago said that tap water was generally better than bottled from a health point of view due to the allowed levels of bacteria etc. The chlorine in tap water keeps this to a minimum. Spring water tends to have much higher (although acceptable) levels but in the absence of something like chlorine to keep them in check, over time they can multiply and, I understand, reach levels for concern. Dec 21 02, 12:48 AM

Friar Tuck

http://script.ftech.net/~kappalam/freshwater/messages/25.html Bacteria in the air will grow in water just as they would in food. The speed at which they grow is a function of heat and light. So the true shelf life is location specific. We have had clients who have had high levels of bacteria after 3 weeks and others who have had low levels of bacteria after 6 months. To put this in context this is relevant to all bottled water - not just distilled water. Also the airborne bacteria that do grow in water tend to be harmless to us. We breathe them by the billions and have immunity to them. However high colonies of these bacteria can discolour the water (normally green streaks) and make it distasteful. If you experience this try reviewing the storage of the bottles. A simple thing like covering the bottle with a tea towel or bin liner can effectively increase shelf life. Dec 21 02, 1:19 AM