Water bottle, 8 rules for safe drinking (from cleaning to correct maintenance) – breaking latest news

To drink away from home, more and more Italians prefer la canteen to plastic bottles disposable. Recyclable bottles are environmentally friendly but, if s
without proper maintenance
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lend themselves to the growth of unwanted “guests” such as pathogenic bacteria dangerous to health. Several studies indicate that all containers that come into contact with the environment and our mouth, if not well maintained, in over one out of two cases they are contaminated by germswhich can be especially dangerous for frail, debilitated and immunosuppressed people. Hence the Go with me We safely drink tap water. Vademecum on the use, maintenance and hygiene of our water bottles, conceived and written by experts from the Catholic University campus of Rome (Professor Umberto Moscato and Dr. Alessandra Daniele) and the Istituto Superiore di Sanit (Dr. Luca Lucentini). The publication was edited by the Italian Committee for the World Contract on Water as part of the BeviMI project: mayor’s water and responsible consumption.

Eight tips

What are the experts’ advice for safe drinking?
1) Don’t overfill the bottle by introducing the amount of water you expect to drink within 24 hours.
2) Rinse the bottle recyclable before filling it.
3) Avoid promiscuous use.
4) Wash the bottle regularly.
5) Wash periodically the cap seals.
6) Use ahot water and baking soda to eliminate odors.
7) Substitute the bottle when damage.
8) Adopt good practices to respect the environment and try to “extend the life” of your bottle.

How to choose and clean the bottle

How to choose the bottle? Glass, plastic, aluminum or steel? And how to clean it to avoid the formation of unwanted guests? If you choose a water bottle in plastic, experts advise, it is necessary to know that not all plastics are the same and that the label must be read before purchase: beware of bisphenol A, even if the product is now banned from the market precisely to protect consumer safety. Another aspect to consider that plastic, especially if worn or damaged by too hot or acidic drinks, can disperse microparticles in the liquid which constitute a potential health hazard . For the maintenance of the plastic bottle, it must be considered that, although many can go in the dishwasher, it is not clear if and how much they absorb the detergent. better precommend for a hand wash
with non-abrasive brush, experts suggest. Or, you canfill with water and bicarbonate, leave to act overnight.

In steel, aluminum or glass?

If you choose a water bottle steel, experts say, there will be more benefits. It is, in fact, a resistant material, which does not retain odors and flavors and safer against the proliferation of molds and bacteria. For hygiene, the dishwasher is fine (unless the product label advises against it), but also hand washing with water and a few drops of detergent or water and baking soda.
If you prefer a water bottle in aluminium, light and resistant, check that its interior is covered with ceramic material and that the coating is very smooth: the ripples, in fact, lend themselves to being a nest for molds and bacteria. For hygiene reasons, it is preferable to avoid the dishwasher. Remember, then, that these bottles are not suitable for fatty liquids (such as milk and oils), acidic and hot drinks.
The bottle can also be in glass, the most inert and “clean” material, as well as being easy to wash; however, being fragile, it is not recommended to be used by children.

Why correct maintenance is important

Reassures Dr. Luca Lucentini, of the Department of Environment and Health of the Istituto Superiore di Sanit: The rules governing the safety of materials (glass, ceramic, PET, steel, aluminum, etc.) in contact with food and water are particularly stringent and up-to-date with the state of knowledge e exclude any risk for consumers, provided that each device and material is used in the conditions (in particular storage temperature and type of food for which the container is intended) and within the prescribed time frame.
Professor Umberto Moscato, associate of General and Applied Hygiene at the Catholic University and medical director of the Complex Operational Unit of Hospital Medicine of the Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS adds: If you do not perform proper management, maintenance and periodic cleaning/disinfection of the water bottle are pre-eminent contaminations from opportunistic fungi or algae (for example: Sarocladium kiliense, Acremonium sclerotigenum /egyptiacum, Aspergillus jensenii, Bisifusarium biseptatum), that they mainly infect elderly and/or immunosuppressed people ma
co-circulating with other microorganisms and viruses, they can also infect apparently young and healthy subjects. Contaminations are not uncommon, for example, from Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa o Klebsiella pneumoniae o di Norovirus.