As the VENDEN survey showed, for 20% of Latvians, the most important factor in choosing water is its composition. Almost as many respondents (19%) indicated that quality is extremely important to them, and almost a third (30%) of those surveyed mentioned the taste of water. Experts tell how to understand what is written on the label, and what, in addition to cost, you need to pay attention to when choosing water.
What kind of water? The head of the department for control and supervision of public health Solvita Muceniece advises, first of all, to look at what type of water is indicated on the label. According to EU and Latvian regulations, there is a different gradation of water - natural mineral water, spring water and, finally, drinking water.
Natural mineral water is a type of natural water, it is obtained from underground water layers with preservation of all the initial properties and is not subjected to processing. The taste of mineral water depends on the place of extraction of water and its depth, as this affects its composition. Mineral water can be carbonated - carbon dioxide used in the food industry is added to natural mineral water. Correspondingly, quality also affects the price: natural mineral water is at the very top of the price segment, as it is the highest-quality and most valuable type of water.
When choosing mineral water, it is important to pay attention to its composition. Mineral water is of varying degrees of mineralization - from 0.01 up to 14 g / l. Water with a high degree of mineralization should not be drunk uncontrollably, since when consumed in unlimited quantities it can negatively affect the body.
In turn, spring water is underground fresh water, which, due to the high level of quality directly from nature itself, does not require any additional processing, except for the usual mechanical filtration of fine particles. Spring water can only be extracted from springs and is absolutely natural.
Drinking water can be obtained from any source - a lake, a river, from a tap, so manufacturers must take its processing very seriously according to established standards. EU and Latvian regulations do not oblige manufacturers of drinking water to indicate where the water was extracted from. It means that, in fact, consumers do not know what kind of water they buy. Drinking water may be processed, and in the price category it is the cheapest type of water.