[Criteria for the evaluation of hygienic and microbiologic characteristics of mineral waters].

The appraisement of mineral waters microbial quality is closely depending of their definition: waters endowed with therapeutic properties, strongly mineralised waters, etc. In the beginning mineral water is exceptionally infected by dangerous germs tought it contain a regular load of some saprophytic microorganisms. Indeed, exploitation licences are reserved to geologically perfectly protected strata. On the other hand, there are contaminations which are due, most commonly, to the bottling procedures: packings, work-rooms atmospheres, staff, etc. This being so, evaluation tests must be largely extended with regard to those of feed water. We can distinguish between some bound to perfectly known real risks and some referred to more hypothetical and more suggested dangers. The first ones protect from fecal contaminations (Salmonella, coliforms, fecal Streptococci, sulphite-reducing Clostridium, fecal bacteriophages) and from cutaneous and mucous contaminations (pathogenic Staphylococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa). They must be supervised with the most extreme severity. The second ones are concerned with saprophytic oligotrophic germs. At the present time, their incidence on public health cannot be discussed on serious foundations. It is the same for amoebae's presence which seems frequent in all kinds of waters. These problems must form the subject of thorough researchers.