“Nestlé” Destroys Two Million “Perrier” Bottles After Discovering “Fecal Bacteria”
The French authorities have ordered the company “Nestlé,” owner of the “Perrier” water, to destroy two million bottles after the discovery of “fecal coliform bacteria” in one of its wells in “Gard” in southern France, also requesting it to stop using the well “as a precautionary measure.”
Fecal coliform bacteria are a type of total coliform bacteria that live in the intestines of animals and humans, causing various health risks including typhoid fever and infectious hepatitis.
According to “Euro News,” “Nestlé” stated that it has destroyed hundreds of bottles so far, awaiting the destruction of the remaining ones in the coming days.
The company did not specify the nature of the contamination but confirmed that “all bottles on the market can be safely consumed.”
The company pointed out that the “microbiological deviation” appeared after “extremely heavy rains associated with the storm Monica, which hit southeastern France in mid-March last year.”
The well, located in Vergèze near Nîmes, has been providing water for the “Perrier” brand since its establishment in 1903.
The well is now subject to enhanced monitoring at the request of the authorities.
“Nestlé,” the producer of mineral water, has been under pressure since the end of January last year after admitting to using prohibited treatments on some of its brand labels to maintain quality, including sugar manufactured in food intended for children.
It is worth noting that the French Senate launched at the beginning of April this year a parliamentary mission to uncover the facts with the aim of “shedding light on the state’s failures” regarding the control of bottled water manufacturers.
