Muscat: The Food Safety and Quality Center (FSQC) issued a clarification on reports that some batches of bottled drinking water products of a local company were found to be unsuitable for consumption due to their non-compliance with the Gulf Standards specification and the high percentage of bromate.
FQSC said that a municipality in one of the governorates investigated the product and took samples to conduct confirmatory analyses.
After the results appeared, it in turn circulated to all municipalities in the governorates to take the necessary measures to deal with such cases, stressing that the circular was issued only on the aforementioned batches, and not on the products.
The center explained that dealing with any case of non-conformity to any standard specification is done as per approved procedures based on an assessment of the level of risk, which includes taking appropriate preventive action to ensure that such discrepancies are not found again.
In such cases, measures are taken against the factory by the center in cooperation with the regulatory authorities, which include issuing a notification and warning to withdraw the product from the markets, or actions may consist of temporary closure or withdrawal of the license.
Cases are also determined in which it is necessary to circulate and announce to consumers about avoiding consuming the product or destroying it based on the type and level of risk.
FQC confirmed there is a continuous follow-up of factories and a periodic survey of food products in the markets in cooperation with the regulatory authorities, and measures are taken in this regard to ensure the health and safety of consumers and called on everyone to follow its official channels for details.
Background
On Thursday, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR) stated that the samples were collected from bottled drinking water of the National Mineral Water Company during route market inspections.
The statement said that the results provided by the Municipality of South al Sharqiyah governorate confirmed the non-compliance with the Gulf Standard Specification 1025:2014 for bottled drinking water due to high percentage of bromate.
The Ministry urged that that batches of Tanuf with a production date of July 27, 2024, Salsabil (August 8, 2024) and Jabel Akhdar (August 8,2024), should be destroyed.
Company Statement
The National Mineral Water Company in a statement to the Muscat Stock Exchange said that it would like to assure everyone that the safety and quality of its products are the company's top priority.
The company became aware on September 18, 2024, through reports circulating on social media, that tests conducted by FSQC under the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources have shown elevated levels of bromate in several of the company's water products, based on samples provided by the Municipality of South Al Sharqiyah Governorate, the statement said.
The company would like to clarify that it proactively initiated an investigation into the matter and is working closely with the relevant authorities to ascertain the facts, ensure compliance with standards, and address any violations as quickly as possible, if found.
The company confirms that it conducts regular quality tests following the Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) quality standards, which have been followed for the past 40 years.
These tests have consistently shown bromate levels within the approved Gulf standards, with the most recent independent technical report confirming compliance in July 2024.
The company reassured its customers of its commitment to transparency and will keep everyone informed of the outcomes of the investigation in all aspects to ensure the continued safety and quality of the company's drinking water products. The company will also provide updates to the stock exchange and all interested parties as soon as any results are available, the report said.
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