جودة مياه الشرب المعبأة المحلية و المستوردة في المملكة العربية السعودية

Abstract EN

The water quality of twenty-three local and seven imported bottled water brands were evaluated during the first half of the year 1422H in the city of Riyadh-Saudi Arabia, and the results were compared with bottled water standards set by the Saudi Arabian Standards Organization, the International Bottled Water Association, and the U.S.

Food and Drug Administration.

Evaluation included the following physical, chemical, and microbiological parameters: pH, turbidity, total dissolved solids, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, sodium, fluoride, nitrates, sulfates, chlorides, iron, manganese, and total coliforms.

The levels of quality parameters of local and imported brands were in compliance with the different standards except for pH in one local brand, fluoride in 15 local brands, and manganese in 12 local and 6 imported brands.

Fluoride concentrations in two local and 6 imported brands were below the lower limit recommended by the Saudi standards.

Statistical analysis of data revealed that levels of Na, F, SO4, and NO3 in local brands were higher than in imported brands and statistically significant, with median’s ratios ranging from 2 to 7.

Comparison of the results for the two bottles analyzed for the same brand revealed a substantial variation in the parameter values, ranging from 0% to 75 %, and that the reported label values of most parameters do not reflect the real content of the bottles.