INTRODUCTION
Waters packaged and bottled with the addition of carbon dioxide are : :

• Natural, still and carbonated mineral waters
• Water from the source
• Waters made drinkable by treatment

Natural mineral waters come from underground sources, are microbiologically healthy, have a constant chemical composition and are characterised by their mineral content. Spring water is intended for the consumer in its purified and natural state. Both types must be bottled directly from the source. Water made drinkable by treatment, or table water, may be transported in bulk. Containers must be made of glass, petrol, polycarbonate or steel and may come in a variety of formats.
Development
Packaged water is a food product and must comply with current food regulations. Regulated by European law, mineral water is subject to a recognition procedure, the full list of which is published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Spring water is subject to an authorisation procedure. Bottling is authorised by ministerial decree for mineral water and by prefectoral decree for spring water. The regulations stipulate that bottled and packaged water is intended for human consumption. Manufacturers must comply with the requirements of the regulations on the hygiene of foodstuffs set out in Regulation 852-2004. It is essential to guarantee consumer health and protection at all stages of the food chain. The application of procedures based on the HACCP model, combined with the implementation of perfect hygiene practices, should lead to increased criminal and civil liability for operators in the sector. Some manufacturing stages must take place in a controlled environment to avoid contamination of the product and/or its packaging: injection, blow moulding, filling and capping. The temperature and air quality in the processing room must be controlled and it must be pressurised. It must be spacious, cleanable and have smooth surfaces to avoid the risk of harmful micro-organisms accumulating. Potential risks from the raw material during the manufacturing process are microbiological (e-coli, enterococci), chemical (iron, arsenic) or physical (foreign bodies). Good hygiene practices apply to a strict protocol from collection to delivery. The standards required must be applied in order to deliver clean, healthy water to the consumer. The rational organisation of the premises must enable :

• Separate the maintenance workshop, laboratory and shop from the production area.
• Plan for possible extensions.
• Choose a spacious area for operations.

The location of the unit must take into account :

• Ease of movement, particularly for staff.
• Accessibility to the machinery required for cleaning and maintenance operations.
• Compatibility with neighbouring activities or production (the areas must be reserved for bottling).
• Risks of cross-contamination during and between operations.

The packaging of products from different categories, when it is not carried out on separate lines, is preceded by systematic cleaning (principle of separation in space) and imperative disinfection of material flows (principle of separation in time). The different stages of production must take place in premises located in a logical order. This order must correspond to the sequence of operations. The level of hygiene and the rules suitable for bottling water must be established (thermal conditions, hygrometric conditions, quality of the surrounding air, storage and cleaning constraints). Particular attention must be paid to return packaging (pallets, crates, bottles, carboys). Maintain and keep the premises in a good state of hygiene. Maintenance and extension work must be carried out without causing any deterioration in water quality. The premises must be clean, tidy and disinfected in accordance with procedures specific to each one, indicating the place, method, equipment, product and frequency of cleaning. The equipment must not cause contamination in the room being cleaned or in a neighbouring room.
CONCLUSION
Thanks to our expertise in air treatment for packaging rooms, we are contributing to this approach. Here is an example of a water packaging unit:

• A packaging room
• An over-packaging room
• A palletising room
• A microbial laboratory
• A physico-chemical laboratory

These areas are treated to ISO class 8 in accordance with standard ISO 14644, with control of :

• Temperature
• Atmospheric pressure
• The number of particles in the air
• Air mixing