Kinney Drugs recalls store brand water
GOUVERNEUR, N.Y. --Kinney Drugs has implemented a voluntary recall of all sizes of the drug store chain's brand of water because it contained elevated levels of bromate.
The affected product has a sell-by date between June 27, 2008 and Aug. 4, 2008. Kinney officials said the water was removed from the drug store chain's shelves on Aug. 23 and destroyed, and extra warehouse stock was returned to the manufacturer, Mayer Bros. of West Seneca, N.Y.
The water was recalled due to bromate levels that exceed the standard imposed three years ago by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. However, based on information from the FDA and the New York State Department of Health, Kinney officials said the level of bromate discovered in the affected bottled water did not pose a health risk in humans.
"We want to assure our customers that the water does not pose a health risk," Kinney chief executive officer Craig Painter said.
Kinney operates 80 stores in New York and Vermont.
It's the second recall in the last month of bottled water produced by Mayer Bros., a 154-year-old bottled water and cider company based in suburban Buffalo. Garrett Mayer, vice president of the family-owned company, said the problems had been fixed.
"There were a few of our customers affected, but only a small percentage of the water we produce was affected," Mayer said Thursday. "To be safe, we brought back some product. It's just a precautionary measure. It's unfortunate that this has happened, but it's been rectified."
The Wegmans supermarket chain earlier this month pulled all sizes of its "Food You Feel Good About" brand water, also supplied by Mayer Bros. That recall covered water with "use-by" dates of Aug. 8, 2008 or earlier. The Wegmans-brand water also was found to contain elevated levels of bromate, which is formed during the disinfection process before bottling.
Wegmans said that though the Environmental Protection Agency has estimated a "cancer potency value" for bromate, there are no studies indicating that bromate in drinking water has caused adverse health effects in humans.
Syracuse-based Penn Traffic, which runs a number of supermarket chains, announced last week that it had pulled "Food Club" brand bottled water from its shelves and issued a recall for all sizes of that brand produced between June 27 and Aug. 4.
Penn Traffic wouldn't identify the supplier of its bottled water. The company said it has returned to the shelves bottles that were found to be unaffected, and stores have begun ordering new product to replenish their supplies.
