Water, this health ally, can be the cause of various pathologies if it is poorly stored. And consumption times are often very short…
Dehydration, fever, headache, vomiting… These symptoms may be a sign of a “water disease”, in other words linked to hydration. Enteric viruses (like gastro to put it simply) do not only appear after consumption of unsafe water, they are sometimes due to a proliferation of bacteria in areas of stagnant water.
Whether in the corners or in the folds of the bottle, these microorganisms can infiltrate anywhere. There are several types of water-borne diseases, but those that interest us come from non-targeted bacteria, present only in drinking water.
For plastic containers, the risk is twofold. Few people know that after opening a bottle, you must not exceed a certain period of time for two reasons: bacteria and microplastics. In both cases, the shelf life after opening is an essential factor.
First, before consumption, the water contained in a plastic bottle does not expire. It is only after being in contact with micro-organisms, of which the oral cavity is particularly rich with its 100,000 million bacteria per milliliter of saliva, that the expiration process begins. The more it is in contact with the outside world and the more time we give bacteria to proliferate, the greater the risk of getting sick from drinking water.
Then microplastics come into play. According to the American magazine “PNAS”, plastic bottles contain up to 100 times more tiny plastic particles than previously estimated. In 2022, the Nestlé Waters company was at the center of a report claiming that 78% of the bottles sold by the brand were contaminated with microplastics.
And on this point too, the shelf life after opening must be reduced. In September, on RTL, general practitioner Jimmy Mohammed warned on this point: “When you open a bottle of water, well after 24 hours, if you have not drunk it, it must go in the trash.” In comparison, water bottles provide both an environmental and health advantage… As long as they are not made of plastic and washed at least once a day.
Bottled water must therefore be consumed within the days following opening or even within 24 to 48 hours depending on the source. It must also be stored in a dark and cool place. In the event of extreme heat or frost, the risk is increased. Chemical substances may escape from the container and contaminate it.