How long does bottled water last? is one of the most often asked questions concerning bottled water? The topic of our paper is this query. A popular substitute for tap water that is secure, hygienic, and palatable is bottled water. It’s incredibly simple to keep yourself fully stocked on clean drinking water for you and your family because there are so many great bottled water options available.
Table of Contents
How Long Does Bottled Water Last?
Generally speaking, the water in bottled water has no expiration date. In fact, the FDA doesn’t even require bottled water to have a shelf life. The water itself is programmed to stay crystal clear forever.
Despite this, there are still additional factors to consider before drinking very old bottled water. And while the water may always be pure, there are some potential problems with the bottle to be aware of. Because of this, many bottlers of bottled water advise against storing it for more than two years.
We’ll look at some potential problems with old bottled water below, along with reasons why you might want to steer clear of it after a particular age.
Read More: How Long Does a Formula Bottle Last at Room Temperature?
What About An Opened Bottled Water?
We’ve been concentrating on sealed bottles of water up to this point. But what happens after the seal is broken?
In general, water in a bottle that has been opened won’t last more than a few days. After this, the water will start to taste “odd” when it mixes with the air. Although you probably won’t want to, it will probably still be good to drink!
Consider a glass of water that you left on the counter overnight, to borrow an illustration from earlier in the essay. It starts to taste strange, just like your opened bottled water will.
Refrigeration can lengthen this procedure by a few days. But generally speaking, once a bottle of water is opened, it won’t be good for very long.
Substances in A Bottle
The first significant problem, and possibly the most well-known one, is brought on by the chemicals in the bottle. Because the water itself will not expire, as declared by the FDA. Therefore, the bottle will be to blame for any potential safety problems.
High-density polyethylene (HDPE) or polyethylene terephthalate bottles are usually used to package plastic water bottles (PET). The concern with these bottles is that the plastic may really melt when exposed to extreme temps and leak into the water itself.
Consuming these substances has the potential to be quite harmful and, depending on the amount ingested, can result in a number of various health problems.
How Can Bottled Water Deteriorate?
While you do not need to be concerned about consuming tainted water, you do need to be aware of the consequences of consuming outdated water, which is why bottled water includes expiration dates. As it turns out, the plastic that the water is kept in is the problem, not the quality of the water itself.
Water is typically bottled in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) for water cooler jugs and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for retail bottles. What’s concerning about these bottles is that the plastics contaminate the liquid bottle if they’ve gone bad or have been exposed to a lot of heat, such as sunlight or hot automobiles.
The harmful chemicals in this plastic will leach into the water, which will not only change the taste of the water but also have a negative impact on the consumer’s health.
Also Read: Can Bottled Water Go Bad?
How Can Bad Bottled Water Affect Your Health?
Following are some potential health effects of excessive plastic exposure:
1. Increased likelihood of having a metabolic condition, such as obesity
2. Consequences on growth and reproduction, such as reduced fertility
3. Imbalances in hormones
4. Getting cancer
5. Reduced immunity
6. Birth abnormalities in kids who have been around plastic
Unfortunately, using plastic can have a lot more negative effects on your health. Therefore, it is imperative for your health and wellbeing that you take all reasonable steps to reduce your exposure to plastic, beginning with the kind of water bottles you use.
Safe Storage of Bottled Water
As you’ve seen throughout this tutorial, the key aspect that affects how long bottled water lasts has to do with the storage environment. You should be sure to store your bottled water correctly to prevent any potential risks and to extend its shelf life.
Bottled water should be kept in a cold, dry location. This protects the water itself from varying too much in temperature and eliminates any risks related to heat exposure.
Make cautious not to keep the bottled water next to any dangerous household chemicals as an extra precaution.
FAQs
How long does bottled water that hasn’t been opened keep at room temperature?
Providing the bottle has not been harmed, and is properly stored, and unopened bottled water will remain potable indefinitely.
After the “expiration” date printed on the bottle, is unopened bottled water still safe to drink?
Commercially packaged unopened bottled water will typically carry a “Best By,” “Best if Used By,” “Best Before,” or “Best When Used By” date; however, this is not a safety date; rather, it is the manufacturer’s estimate of how long the unopened bottled water will remain at peak quality, provided that it is stored properly and the bottle is undamaged.
Is drinking old water from a bottle safe?
Although the FDA does not mandate a shelf life for bottled water, with time, hormone-like compounds can seep from plastic bottles. To reduce the danger of exposure to hazardous chemicals, always buy bottled water without BPA. Still, water should be used within two years.
Does the water in bottles last a lifetime?
Although water has an infinite shelf life because it is a naturally occurring product, we advise a 2-year shelf life for still water because, with time, contaminants from plastic water bottles seep into the water.
Conclusion
We appreciate you reading our article about the durability of bottled water. As you can see, even while the water itself may not go bad, there are still certain problems to watch out for. We hope that this advice has provided some clarity on this frequent home problem. The basic truth is that your bottled water should last you a very long time if it is stored properly.
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