German supermarkets recall Gut&Günstig and Naturalis water over germloads

Two brands of mineral water have been recalled from German supermarkets after producers raised the alarm about worrying germloads found in stock.

Roxane recalls Gut&Günstig and Naturalis mineral water

The mineral water producer Roxane GmbH has recalled several of its products due to concerns about germloads found during routine checks.

The company recalled medium, classic and still mineral water in the Gut&Günstig and Naturalis ranges. These brands are most commonly sold in Edeka, Marktkauf and Netto Marken-Discount. 

The recall for Gut&Günstig mineral waters applies in all federal states, except Saarland and Baden-Württemberg. The recall for Naturalis mineral waters applies in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia.

All batches which are thought to have been contaminated have been removed from shop shelves. You can find a more detailed list of the recalled products here (in German).

Which germs were found in the mineral water?

According to the German engineering company Schilling Engineering, a germload is a “quantified concentration of germs, fungi or spores contained in water or air”. 

Roxane GmbH didn’t specify which germs had been identified in their mineral water, explaining only that “bacterial contamination was detected during routine checks” and that the bacteria can lead to “adverse health effects”. “[W]e therefore strongly advise against consuming the product,” the company added.