The State Food Safety Inspection Body Comments on the Noise Surrounding 'Jermuk' Mineral Water

The Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Rights Protection in Russia (Rospotrebnadzor) has announced the suspension of sales of certain batches of 'Jermuk' mineral water in Russia, citing reports of a Vladikavkaz resident suffering a throat burn. Allegedly, the burn was caused by consuming the contents of a bottle of mineral water.

As of today, the Food Safety Inspection Body of Armenia has not received any official information from Russia. However, it is worth noting that 'Jermuk' mineral water has been exported to Russia since 2001, gradually increasing its volumes from 350,000 liters to 15,273,000 liters annually, with each imported batch complying with the technical regulations of the Eurasian Economic Union.

In addition to Russia, the water is also exported to the USA, Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the EU, and many other countries. In the 23 years of mineral water exports from the Republic of Armenia, not a single case of poisoning has been reported. Therefore, it seems quite strange that sales of certain batches of 'Jermuk' mineral water have been halted despite there being no negative shifts in the production process.

No vinegar is used in the production of 'Jermuk' mineral water, and the materials used meet the requirements established by international standards for food industry usage. The alleged residual content of these materials, according to their technical specifications, cannot cause a throat burn.

The production process of the mineral water is fully automated in a closed loop, and the presence of vinegar in bottled products directly contradicts the principles and organization of this automated production process. The minimum quantity of finished product is 1,200 bottles, so non-compliance with the aforementioned standards should manifest in at least that many bottles.

If necessary, the Armenian Food Safety Inspection Body will implement appropriate monitoring measures, considering that samples of each produced batch are retained. Additionally, effective measures will also be taken with Russian partners to clarify the basis for such a decision.