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The information, broadcast by Le Monde and Radio France, indicates “the cessation of mineral water production at the Vergèze plant”, in the south of France.
The study, completed in August by the ARS following its investigation of the site in May, indicates that the company must stop production due to health risks such as the deterioration of the state of water catchments, which can only pose virological risks.
The ARS would have advised the organization to “strategically consider any other conceivable food use of existing mineral water catchments” if “additional guarantees of suitability and protection” are established.
Responding to the story, the Vittel maker said the assessment was “a preliminary administrative report, which has since been supplemented by the technical clarifications provided by Nestlé Waters regarding all the points raised”.
The document “constitutes definitive advice on the operating situations of our Vergèze mineral water plant”, it states.
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Nestlé added that the effects “do not call into question the food quality of our bottled waters”, adding: “All water produced through Nestlé Waters, added under the Perrier brand, is for consumption.
“In addition, as part of this report, the project identified the measures implemented through Nestlé Waters in its water quality control system, which includes an enhanced quality procedure to continue to ensure the food safety of our products in all circumstances. .
Nestlé’s water business in France has had an eventful year. In April, the Swiss food and beverage giant suspended a well at its Vergèze site, which is used for Perrier bottled water, due to contamination.
This resulted in the company having to throw away “several batches” of Perrier water. A spokesperson told Just Drinks at the time all products delivered to customers and available on-shelf were safe to drink.
Information from Le Monde at the time indicated that fecal bacteria had been discovered in the well.
Le Monde, citing French news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP), said local government officials had granted Nestlé a formal notice to “immediately suspend” operations at the water site, which had been contaminated since 10 March 2024.
Reports were then published in June that Nestlé had suspended production of two water wells for disinfection.
While Le Monde and Radio France reported that the closure meant the company could no longer produce the volumes needed to produce one-litre bottles, the company stated that production of one-litre products had not stopped.
Just Drinks asked Nestlé if production was still suspended at the two Vergèze wells.
Since October 2023, when the national food protection control body, the Food, Environment and Food Safety Agency (Anses), informed the French of their doubts about the qualityNestlé mineral water.
In a press release sent to Just Drinks in April, ANSES said its assessment “proves a point of insufficient confidence” in water quality.
Following its assessment, the agency recommended the health ministry agency, direction générale de la santé (DGS), initiate a “reinforced surveillance plan” to look into “exploited water resources” and monitor potential “microbiological indicators… especially those relating to viruses”.
In January, Nestlé admitted it had breached French laws around how bottled water is treated against contamination.
Le Monde then stated that Nestlé would have used disinfectants “due to sporadic bacterial or chemical contamination. ”
In France, however, it is illegal to use purification techniques on products classified as “spring water” or “mineral water”, because it is believed that they come from preserved underground resources and deserve to be consumed as they come out of the drain. Well, reported Le Monde. Training
In a response at the time, Nestlé said it had used “microfiltration at [its] Waters sites to a finer point than that identified in the past by French authorities. ”
“We also use activated carbon filters and ultraviolet systems which, legal in other jurisdictions, do not comply with French regulations applicable to herbal mineral water,” Nestlé added.
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