Substances with hormone-like activity in mineral water from PET bottles

In a recently published study on mineral waters from various manufacturers, scientists at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt established that some of the samples exam-ined in an in vitro test system revealed the presence of not otherwise specified substances with hormone-like activity. The scientists noted that this effect was determined more particu-larly in samples taken from mineral water in bottles made of the plastic, PET. Amongst the public at large this prompted questions about the potential health impact of drinking mineral water from PET bottles. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has undertaken an initial, provisional assessment of the study findings.