Surely everyone has had this experience before:
Water from an opened bottle tastes stale after several uses.
But can drinking water become bad?
No, it can’t.
If a bottle is opened or water stands in the glass for a long time, but the chemical composition of the liquid changes.
The water takes CO2 from the air up and part of the liquid turns into carbonic acid.
This process lowers the pH of the water and makes the taste slightly sour.
However, this only affects the taste experience.
Harmful, as a rule, it is not. The best before date on water bottles is therefore not an expiry date.
According to the Tafelwasserverordnung, manufacturers are obliged to indicate a best-before date. “But even after this period mineral water can still be enjoyed without hesitation. The carbonic acid preserves the mineral water and makes it last almost indefinitely.”- Informationszentrale Deutsches Mineralwasser. However, in plastic bottles, oxygen can penetrate and carbonic acid can escape.
Plastic bottles can release hormone-like chemicals into the water.
True, there will be no immediate harm to health if you still drink the water after the expiration date,
nevertheless, researchers believe long-term consequences are possible. In total, it is recommended to consume opened bottles within a few days.
After all, when opening, microorganisms can get into the bottle.
Especially in a bright and warm environment, they multiply.
Therefore, the storage of opened water bottles in the refrigerator is best suited.
Avoid pathogens by not drinking from a bottle with several people. When drinking, bacteria can enter the bottle through saliva.
