Carcinogenic found in 6 bottled water brands

AN excessive amount of a chemical compound that could lead to cancer has been detected in six types of bottled water.

An elevated amount of bromate has been found in bottled water produced by Harbin Pharmaceutical Group, Jingyou Honghu Mineral Products Co Ltd and four other bottled water producers, according to a spot check conducted by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), the Beijing News reported today.

Bromate is a byproduct formed when the water is sterilized and if consumed in excessive amounts it could lead to cancer. China sets strict limits for the chemical compound in bottled and barreled water.

Meanwhile, eighteen types of bottled or barreled water failed to meet general quality standards in the tests conducted by the AQSIQ as high levels of bacteria, free chlorine and strontium were discovered.

A total of 220 bottled and barreled water manufactured by 211 companies from Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province were tested during the spot check.

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