Assessment of the exposure to certain contaminants found in drinking waters and the potential health risks involved. The case of FLUORIDE

In Belgium, the intake of most types of public drinking water ("tap water") or water marketed as packaged water ("bottled water") does not pose a risk for human health insofar as these waters meet the criteria laid down by the public authorities in terms of their composition and labelling. Particular attention should be devoted to tap and bottled water with a fluoride content of 1.50mg/L or more. More particularly, the labelling of natural mineral waters (NMW) is legally required to be formulated as follows: - "contains fluoride" if the fluoride content is over 1.0 mg/L of fluoride. - "not suitable for consumption by infants and children under 7 years of age " if the fluoride content is 1.50 mg/L or more As regards the criteria it took into account to authorise the claim "suitable for the preparation of infant food", the SHC set the upper limit for the authorised fluoride content to less than 1.0 mg/L. The SHC intends to revise its criteria in the very near future. In areas in which the tap water and the bottled water usually consumed are rich in fluoride, the population should receive specific information on this subject. As far as bottled waters are concerned, some natural mineral waters (NMWs) are not necessarily intended for regular consumption as a result of the properties they are claimed to possess, in contrast to tap waters that meet the required potability criteria. The attention of the consumers could not be drawn enough to the need to check the composition of any product they are about to consume, nor that of the producers to the fact that it is mandatory to make the necessary information as clear as possible. The intake of fluoride-containing food or dietary supplements is inadvisable without any kind of medical and/or dental supervision.BE; nl; info.hgr-css@health.belgium.b