In an article published on September 13, 2013 in the Swiss newspaper Tagesanzeiger Erich Arter, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the beverage manufacturer Adelbodner, declares that the company identified and removed the toxic substances that were found in Adelbodner mineral water. On July 23, 2013 the medical association Doctors for Environmental Protection (AefU) and the environmental activist organization Pingwin Planet published a report finding 5 of 10 mineral waters contaminated with toxic substances. 1-methoxy-2-propyl acetate, 1,2,4-trimethyl-benzene and 2-butoxyethyl acetate were measured in Adelbodner gasified mineral water in polyethylene terephthalate (PET). None of the substances were present above a regulated limit. 2-butoxyehtyl acetate is considered carcinogenic for animals, but its carcinogenicity for humans has not been evaluated. Arter declares in the interview that an external laboratory was able to identify the printing inks from the bottle cap as the culprit for the contamination. Adelbodner no longer uses the printed caps. According to an article published by the same newspaper on September 12, 2013, Nestlé charged a laboratory with a reanalysis of water from the same batch. The laboratory could not confirm the earlier results. The Swiss Mineral Water Source and Soft-drink Producers (SMS) asserted in a statement (pdf) published on September 12, 2013 that manufacturers will carry out independent analyses to follow-up on the accusations, and criticized that the AefU did not publish a detailed report of the used methods.

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Tagesanzeiger (September 13, 2013). “«Wir wissen, wie die Substanzen ins Mineralwasser kamen».”(in german)

Tagesanzeiger (September 12, 2013). “Mineralwasser-Test sorgt für Unruhe(in german)

Swiss Mineral Water Source and Soft-drink Producers (SMS) press release

Doctors for Environmental Protection (AefU) (July 23, 2013). “Eaux minerals: Analyses organiques en Screening GCMS.” (pdf, in french)

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