Zam Zam water warning

THE FINAL SENTENCE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT. THE WATER BEING SOLD WITH HIGH
LEVELS OF ARSENIC IS NOT ZAM ZAM, AS THE FSA CLEARLY STATE.

The Food Standards Agency is advising consumers to be aware of the
fraudulent sale of Zam Zam water that may contain high levels of arsenic.
This issue was first brought to the Agency's attention by Muslim leaders.


Zam Zam water, which is sacred to Muslims, comes from a specific
source in Saudi Arabia and cannot legally be exported from the country for
commercial sale.
A brand of Zam Zam formally sampled by the London Borough of
Westminster has been found to contain almost three times the permitted level
of arsenic, which could contribute to increasing people's risk of cancer.

The local authority has taken action to prevent further sale of the
product from the outlet.

In addition they have contacted the importer of the water to ensure
that they stop importing the product. No other outlets are known to have
stocked this product.

Other brands of Zam Zam water are thought to be on sale in the UK and
could be similarly contaminated.

As genuine Zam Zam water cannot be legally exported from Saudi Arabia
for commercial sale, any product found in the shops would have an uncertain
provenance and pose a possible safety risk.

The FSA is therefore advising people not to buy or drink commercially
available brands of Zam Zam water and to inform their Local Authority
Environmental Health or Trading Standards Department if they come across Zam
Zam water on sale.

Given that the demand for Zam Zam water is likely to increase during
the month of Ramadan, the FSA has written to all Heads of Environmental
Departments and Directors of Trading Standards asking local authorities to
take appropriate enforcement action where the fraudulent sale of Zam Zam
water is suspected.

This advice does not relate to the genuine Zam Zam water being brought
into UK by returning pilgrims, as an accompanied or unaccompanied 'personal
import'.



http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2005/oct/zamzam


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