Objective Bottled still and carbonated mineral water has, with one possible exception, never been assoclated with foodborne disease. However, due to EU regulations (80/7771EC) that limit treatment of mineral water destined for bottling, there is a need for a continuaI and very stringent quality control. In most cases the methods available and accepted for quality control of mineral water are slow, statistically unreliable and only a limited number of organisms can be examined. Moreover, some of the mandatory tests require long incubation periods, which require large amounts of storage space and delay shipment to market of the finished product This inturn increases marketing costs resulting in higher prices to the consumer. There is, therefore, an industry-driven need to improve the methods that are presently available and to develop new rapid methods for microbiological assessment of the microbial flora in the bottled water. In order to implement quality assurance programs in the bottled water industy, the potential manufacturers of reagents, kits, and instruments need more information on the microbiology of bottled mineral waters to design improved methodologies. In order to develop appropriate methods for the evaluation of the microbiological quality of mineral water, it will be necessary to understand the taxonomy, ecology and physiology of the microbiological community present in selected aquifers, bottling lines and the finished products, much more comprehensively than at present. The project will therefore be divided into the following targets: (1)Characterization of a wide range of heterotrophic aerobic and anaerobic micro-organisms and autotrophic bacteria using up to date methods, their classification, identification and prevalence in several still and carbonated mineral waters. It is important to have a profound knowIedge of the micro-organisms that are authocthonous to mineral waters. Several problems arise each year with the misidentification of atypical organisms in routine quality contol presumptively identified as indicators of foecal pollution or pathogens. These difficulties arise because the knowledge of the microbial flora of mineral waters is very poor.(2)Development of nucleic acid probes for the identification of targeted species of microorganisms as well as seIected higher taxa (families and phyla), for use as indicators of constancy of aquifers and quality of bottled mineral waters. Development of alternate methods for the enumeration of indicator organisms and the heterotrophic plate count (HPC). Nucleic acid probes, viable counts using dyes would be a useful in measuring the numbers of organisms in mineral waters.(3)Examination of the effect of organic nutrients in the bottles on the muItiplication of the microflora and the formation and structure of biofilms. These studies will be useful to our knowledge of the microbial ecology in the finished product and lead to our knowledge of microbial proliferation in the bottIes and perhaps, if necessary, to prevent this multiplication.(4)Development of optimal cultivation methods for recovery of stressed micro-organisms from mineral waters for the subsequent development of new cultural methods. To study the survival of nutrient stressed (starved) indicator organisms and pathogens and the relationship between the natural microflora and the survival of the allochtonous microorganisms.(5)Development of rapid methods for total counts, viable counts, indicator organisms and pathogenic organisms for the evaluation of quality and safety using flow cytometry and the development of new cultural methods to expedite the heterotrophic plate count (HPC). This proposal represents the first integrated study of the flora of mineral waters, and the development of methods for the evaluation of the microbiological quality of minenal waters that has ever been undertaken. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesnucleic acidsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologynatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollutionmedical and health sciencesbasic medicinephysiology Programme(s) FP4-FAIR - Specific research, technological development and demonstration programme in the field of agriculture and fisheries (including agro-industry, food technologies, forestry, aquaculture and rural development), 1994-1998 Topic(s) 3.4.5 - Food microbiology Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator UNIVERSIDADE DE COIMBRA - CENTRO DE NEUROCIENCIAS DE COIMBRA EU contribution No data Address DEPARTAMENTO DE ZOOLOGIA 3000 COIMBRA Portugal See on map Total cost No data Participants (7) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all DANONE GROUP France EU contribution No data Address PLACE DE LA GARE 74503 EVIAN See on map Total cost No data GSF - FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM FÜR UMWELT UND GESUNDHEIT G.M.B.H. Germany EU contribution No data Address INGOLSTADTER LANDSTR., 1 85764 OBERSCHLEISSHEIM See on map Total cost No data NESTEC LTD. Switzerland EU contribution No data Address VERS-CHEZ-LES-BLANC - P.O. BOX 44 1000 LAUSANNE 26 See on map Total cost No data TEAGASC - THE NATIONAL FOOD CENTRE Ireland EU contribution No data Address DUNSINEA - CASTLEKNOCK 15 DUBLIN See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITY OF LILLE II France EU contribution No data Address PLACE DE VERDUN, 1 59045 LILLE See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITY OF SURREY United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address GU2 7XH GUILDFORD See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Universidade Catolica Portuguesa Portugal EU contribution No data Address Rua Dr. Antonio Bernardino de Almeida 4200-072 Porto See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data