Fungal contamination as possible cause of organoleptic alterations of a bottled mineral water

The results concerning the organoleptic and microbiological characteristics of a natural mineral water are reported. The examined water was non-carbon ated, bottled in non-returnable glass bottles and had shown some organolept ic alterations during sale. The examination through the Flavour Profile Analysis showed that the 22% of bottles (26/120) had a pronounced odour, earthy and/or mouldy. The bacteri al counts were in accordance with the standard limits both in altered and n ot-altered samples. On the contrary, the fungal contamination was higher in the altered samples, from which various fungal species were isolated, with the prevalence of Penicillium spp. The same odour found in the incriminate d mineral :water developed after about two weeks in one of the five buffere d water, samples (pH: 7.2) in which 15 aluminium capsule belonging to the l ot used to cork the incriminated bottles were put. The buffered water with a strong earthy/mouldy odour showed a high number of fungi belonging to Pen icillium expansum series.