Why does bottled water have an expiration date?

Expiration Dates on Bottled Water

Here are opinions and answers from WikiAnswerers:

• There is a chance that over time (years), the container could cause the water to have a different taste. There is much more information at the website in the Links section.

• There are two main types of sterilization that all food and drink manufacturers use. The first is the use of peracetic acid that gives an instant kill to most pathogens (bugs that make you ill). The second is the use of steam. Holding a steam temperature of above 120 degrees in the product line for 15 minutes will kill virtually all pathogens. However, some bacteria form spores which are virtually indestructible and can last for millions of years. The only way to make totally sterile drinks would be to irradiate them, which wouldn't make them radioactive, but would make them cost a great deal of money to produce. Thus, the manufacturer cannot guarantee that their product is free of pathogens and gives it a 'use by' to minimize their liability. Packaging deterioration is the other reason for the "Best By" Date.

Please do not make the mistake of thinking that "Bottled Water" means pure, sterile, perfect water. It may surprise you to know that there is very little regulation concerning 'bottled water'. For example, it is common practise to label the bottle with such things as " Spring Water" or "Mountain fresh" while the water is actually taken directly from municipal sources! Look for yourself at the fine print and see.

First answer by anonymous. Last edit by KingKarl. Contributor trust: 51 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 208 [recommend question]