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ALERT ON FAKE IMPORTED ZAM ZAM WATER
The Food Standards Agency is advising consumers to be aware of the
fraudulent sale of Zam Zam water that may pose a food safety risk.
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
cease to import 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.
Genuine Zam Zam water cannot be legally exported from Saudi
Arabia for commercial sale, therefore, any product found in the
shops would have an uncertain provenance and 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.
Thanks are due to Dr Yunus Teinaz, Senior Environment Health
Officer at the London Borough of Haringey and Health, for his
efforts in this regard.
For further information you can contact the MCB:
Tel: 020 8432 0585 / 8432 0586
Fax: 020 8432 0587
E-mail: admin@mcb.org.uk
