Junk Science & Water Quackery: Anti-bird flu Water

A sure sign of the size of the bottled water industry is the amount of emerging junk science and water quackery connected with bottled water. We feel therefore it is time to start a series of articles dealing with the phenomena of water quackery.

Here is the first installment in the series: Anti-bird flu Water

The threat of bird flu is moving ever closer to the Czech Republic. As the country's emergency teams are bracing themselves for a potential outbreak, some fraudsters are also trying to take advantage of the situation.

Forget Tami flu now you can enjoy “anti-bird flu Water” in orange, lemon and grapefruit.

Bottled water said to prevent bird flu has gone on sale in a Czech supermarket, a newspaper reported on Wednesday. The water called Fromin Aktium comes in orange, lemon and grapefruit flavor and is made by Czech company Aquamat, regional daily Rovnost reported.

It is on sale at two outlets of the Hypernova supermarket chain owned by Netherlands-based Ahold. "The drink is a prevention against all viral-type infections, therefore against bird flu as well," Aquamat manager Ivan Novotny told the paper.

The Czech Republic's chief health officer, Michael Vit, said his office had demanded the firm withdraw the product, describing the marketing as "misleading." Hypernova spokeswoman Katerina Cerna told Rovnost that it would withdraw the water if the label claiming its anti-bird flu effectiveness is banned. Cerna was not immediately available for further comment. Sapa-AFP

According to Radio Praha, the water has been removed from the super market shelves as of 2/23/06 .

Resources: Fromin Aktium