Weather of Arabia - French prosecutors opened an investigation into the purification methods used by Perrier , as they announced the destruction of two million bottles of the famous carbonated water based on government orders, due to suspicion of contamination with “fecal” bacteria, according to the French Public Health Agency.
This announcement is a new blow to the giant Swiss food company Nestlé, as its French water company is under criminal investigation on charges of using illegal means to purify its mineral water, according to Agence France-Presse.
Health authorities in the Occitanie region in southern France have asked Nestlé Waters France to destroy all Perrier products between March 10 and 14, according to a document issued by the DGS health agency and shared with AFP.
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Nestlé confirmed that it had destroyed about two million bottles “as a precaution,” while emphasizing the safety of Perrier bottles in stores.
Earlier this month, regional authorities ordered Nestlé Waters France to "immediately suspend" production at one of its sources near Nîmes, due to recorded "fecal" contamination as of March 10, according to what AFP reported.
Nestlé also owns the Vittel, Contrex and Hepar brands, and French prosecutors in January opened an investigation into the purification methods used by these brands.
The company admitted that it used unauthorized methods to purify “natural” mineral water, such as UV lamps and carbon filtration, and the sources of the brands Vittel, Contrex and Hepar are located in eastern France.
The General Directorate of Public Security in France announced the closure of some water sources in the eastern and southern regions of the country or their reclassification as “potable water after treatment,” after new inspections.
The French Health Agency confirmed that these catchments were being treated illegally by operators before the closures, which shook the entire water industry in France.
As part of efforts to combat pollution, Antoine de Saint-Afrique, general manager of the French food company Danone, pointed out that natural mineral water sources are now subject to very strict monitoring.
In a related context, the steps of Danone, whose mineral water brands include Evian, Volvic and Baduit, raised questions from shareholders, as Saint-Afrique confirmed that the company works closely with local farmers and the industry to prevent pollution near water sources.
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