BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY EVALUATION OF BOTTLED WATER SOLD IN THE GAZA STRIP, PALESTINE

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the bacteriological quality of bottled waters and compare it with those determined in small scale of (RO) desalination companies in the Gaza Strip. However the number of imported and domestic bottled waters is limited in Gaza Strip. Eleven brands of imported bottled waters from West bank, Egypt, Jordan and Israel and four brands of locally packing bottled waters were microbiologically analyzed within two hours of purchase at a local supermarket. Viable bacterial count was estimated on quarter-strength Plate Count Agar (1/4 PCA) incubated at 22 ○ C for 72 hours. The number of counted bacteria was in 50% of locally bottled waters over the permitted safe stander in Palestine, 36.4% of imported bottled water brands were also over this level. Beside the estimation of total bacterial count in indigenous and imported bottled waters, EMB Agar was used for detection of total coliform as well as for thermotolerant coliform in these different brands of bottled waters. The presence of total coliform bacteria was detectable in 75% of locally bottled waters and in 45.4% of imported brands. Thermotolerant coliform bacteria were respectively detected in 75% of indigenous and in 27% of imported bottled waters.