Test reveals precious little minerals in bottled waters
A Consumer Council test has revealed that spring and mineral waters fared no better than tap water in the level of mineral content.
The Council has tested 24 samples of distilled, mineral and spring waters varying in price from $0.9 to $4.6 per glass (at 240 ml).
All but one of the spring and mineral water samples were found to contain only "very low" (9) or "low" (14) level of minerals according to a EU directive (80/777/EEC).
In accordance with the EU directive, natural mineral waters with less than or equal to 50 mg of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) per litre are classified as "very low" in mineral content, 51 to 500 mg as "low", and more than 1,500 mg as "rich".
Understandably, distilled water is not expected to contain much, if any, minerals, which are removed in the process of distillation.
But none of the spring waters and mineral waters, natural or artificial, was found "rich" in mineral content in the test. The one exception was a carbonated natural mineral water which had a mineral content well above "low", with 1,030 mg of TDS perlitre.
The mineral content of the local municipal tap water, on the other hand, averages 133 mg of TDS per litre, according to the Water Supplies Department.
But more minerals may not necessarily be desirable to health and some may even be harmful to patients suffering from a certain disease.
For instance, the calcium content of spring and natural mineral waters was generally high, varying substantially by 48 times between the highest and the lowest samples.
The Hong Kong Society of Nephrology has advised patients suffering from kidney stones to refrain from drinking large quantity of bottled water with high calcium content. Nor should these patients self-administer calcium supplement before seeking advice from medical practitioners or dietitians.
Some of the bottled water samples were shown to have a low pH, and slightly more acidic. They are also not recommended for large volume consumption by patients with kidney disease.
The sodium content of the majority (92%) of the samples was generally low and therefore is "suitable for low sodium diet".
Overall, the results of the latest test showed marked improvement in the hygiene and contamination condition of bottled waters over the Council's previous test in 1998.
Unlike the 1998 test, none of the samples was detected with bacteria and none with contaminants such as arsenic and lead.
There is, however, much room for improvement in the area oflabelling.
In 10 of the samples, at least one of the constituents was found to deviate from the labelled amount by over 20%.
In one sample, the English labelling read "low in mineral content" while its Chinese translation carried the meaning "rich in mineral content".
Another sample labelled its mineral content in such a way that it is hardly legible - it has to be viewed through 2 glass layers of the bottle.
Since labelling of mineral content is not mandatory, according to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, such practices and display method do not contravene the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations.
Increasingly restaurants are offering bottled waters to their customers to the extent that some have ceased to provide free drinking water.
In response to the Consumer Council, the Hong Kong Catering Industry Association has acknowledged customers' expectation to have drinking water free of charge unless indicated otherwise. It would issue clear guidelines to its members on serving bottled water to consumers and the disclosure of charges.
The Association of Restaurant Managers has also expressed support for the promotion of consumer rights to enhance the standard of service and image of the restaurant trade.
Consumers have the right to be informed and refuse bottled water without their prior consent.
Microwave ovens are safe but they "cook" differently
Microwave ovens consistently share one thing in common these days: they are free of the hazard of microwave leakage.
According to a Consumer Council test on 15 microwave oven samples, the amount of microwave leakage of all these models was well below the limit of the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standard.
But apart from this reassuring safety feature, there existed among the models great variations in their "cooking" performance.
The samples were tested to evaluate their "cooking" performance: defrosting a kg of minced meat, reheating a plated meal and mashed potato, heating ready-to-eat frozen food such as shrimp dim sum and lasagna, and toasting a whole chicken and pizza (only for models with grill function).
The outcome was anything but similar. Most samples, for instance, were unsatisfactory in heating ready-to-eat frozen food according to the instructions on the food packages.
There was substantial temperature difference between the centre and the corners of the food, as the temperature of the centre was comparatively low. Heated or reheated food which is not thoroughly hot, should not be eaten.
Consumers should lengthen the cooking time, paying particular attention to the temperature in the centre part of the food. If necessary, rotate the food during the cooking process.
Further, some samples were less than satisfactory in the performance of their automatic defrost programmes. But this could be improved easily by adjusting the power and time setting manually.
Discrepancies were detected in all samples in respect of their claimed values in capacity and actual usable volume. When measured against the IEC standard, all were found to be 22% to 37% less than their claimed values.
While microwave ovens are safe from radiation leakage, improper usage of the appliance could be potentially dangerous.
In the report, the Consumer Council warned consumers never to attempt to repair microwave ovens themselves.
In the U.S., the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a similar warning against do-it-yourself repairs of microwave ovens. On average, 4 people die in the U.S. each year from electrocution trying to repair their microwave ovens.
Some internal circuits of microwave ovens work at high voltage. Any attempt to remove the cover of a microwave oven risks touching the electrical parts and the possibility of electrical shock even when the appliance is disconnected from the power source. And should any internal parts or devices fail even an unplugged oven can cause serious injuries.
In addition, over-heating water in a microwave oven beyond boiling point can occur without evidence of bubbling. To avoid accidents, the following steps should be taken:
- Strictly follow the instructions of the user manual. Do not over-heat.
- Avoid using containers with narrow necks, which may result in a sudden eruption of the boiling liquid. It is more appropriate to use wide-mouthed containers.
- After heating, allow the food to stand in the oven for a short time and stir it before moving it from the oven.
A matter of life and death in travel insurance
A travel insurance policy with adequate protection could mean the difference between life and death to the insured in the event of a serious accident in a foreign land.
To assist consumers with the necessary information and guidance, the Consumer Council has conducted a massive survey analyzing 34 travel insurance plans offered by 17 major insurers.
Of the 34 travel insurance plans analysed, 31 offered emergency medical evacuation which is one of the crucial parts of the Worldwide Emergency Assistance Services.
For those plans (11) stated clearly the amount of maximum protection, they varied ranging from $200,000 to $2,000,000. In 9 insurance plans the protection was set at "unlimited". Consumers should clarify with the insurers those plans (11) that did not clearly specify the amount of protection, on details of possible arrangements in case of accident.
Generally, most policies stipulate that emergency medical evacuation shall be arranged when as a result of an injury or sickness commencing while travelling outside Hong Kong but subject to the following:
- If it is in the opinion of the responsible emergency service providers, and it is judged medically appropriate, to move the insured person to another location for medical treatment, or to return to Hong Kong.
- Arrangement for evacuation is based on the medical severity of the insured person's condition, but not in accordance to the preference of the insured.
- The means of evacuation arranged may include air ambulance, surface ambulance, regular air transportation, or railroad, etc. The service providers will make all decisions based solely upon medical necessity, as to the means of transportation and the final destination.
Consumers are strongly urged to take out such insurance cover beforehand as arrangements for medical evacuation could be extremely costly when accidents occur. In a recent case, a Hong Kong resident was medically evacuated and flown back from the Mainland at a cost of some $230,000.
On medical expenses, the maximum benefits ranged from $200,000 to $1,000,000. Consumers should watch out for details related to the amount of reimbursement per day, per visit and any upper limit.
Insurance premium, according to the survey, was basically charged in accordance to regions: (a) Asia or Asia-Pacific regions, (b) global without U.S. and/or Canada, (c) global with U.S. and/or Canada; or charged uniformly regardless of regions.
The premium for an individual on a 5-day trip to Japan, for instance, ranged from $108 to $426. A 15-day trip to the U.S. varied from $206 to $606.
Given the large number of travel insurance plans available in the market, consumers are advised to obtain several quotations and comparing the policies before committing into one.
Consumers should study the definitions and exclusions: the medical benefits, evacuation and cancellation, the amount of reimbursement and excess per claim, etc.
Consumers should look for insurance companies that provide adequate coverage, a good reputable claim service and reasonable prices.
Value-for-money exercise on batteries
With ever more electronic gadgets being marketed nowadays, it is not surprising that the consumption of batteries should rise also correspondingly.
The Consumer Council has completed a test on the service life of a total of 41 models of AA and AAA size batteries comprising 29 alkaline and 12 zinc carbon.
Overall, according to the test, alkaline batteries last longer than zinc carbon batteries but their prices are also higher. The price of alkaline batteries on average is about 3.5 times that of zinc carbon batteries.
But whether alkaline or zinc carbon batteries offer better value for money would depend largely on the type of devices on which the batteries are used.
For instance, on average, when used in "low drain" devices (such as radio, clock and remote control), the service life of alkaline batteries doubles that of zinc carbons; when used in "medium drain" devices (such as MD player), the service life of alkaline batteries is triple that of zinc carbons, and when used in "heavy pulse drain" devices (such as photoflash), the service life of alkaline batteries is 5 times as long.
So, generally speaking, while alkaline batteries are good for use on "high drain" devices, zinc carbon batteries may also offer good value when used on "low drain" devices. (The Council will publish soon the results of rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride batteries which are better, more economical, and environmentally friendly than alkaline batteries when used in "high drain" devices.)
In the report, the average life per dollar of all the models under different conditions of use, was calculated for easy comparison of consumers, and a comprehensive list of tips was also included on the purchase and use of batteries:
- Shop for batteries with longer durability period by comparing the expiry dates. Batteries start to lose capacity slowly from the time they are produced. The dates can be found on the package or on the battery itself.
- The price differentials between different retail outlets can be very significant. Compare prices before buying.
- Remove all batteries from a device that will not be used for a long period.
- Do not mix up the positive and negative terminals when placing the batteries.
- Always change a whole set of batteries when replacing them.
- Batteries last longer when they are being used intermittently than continuously. So, turn off a device when it is not in used.
- Store batteries in a cool and dry place.
Besides value for money, the test also examined the potential problem of leakage. Leaking batteries can be damaging to the device.
The test showed that all models were in compliance of the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standard on leakage-resistance. However, when subjected to a more stringent test based on the JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) on over-discharge leakage-resistance, some samples of 5 alkaline models were found leaking.
On the heavy metals (mercury, cadmium and lead) content of batteries, 3 models were found to exceed the mercury limit set by an EC Directive as a guideline to determine whether the products are environmentally friendly.
Are energy saving lamps safe?
Are compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) as safe as they are energy saving?
A recent Consumer Council test has shown that the use of CFLs could mean substantial savings of up to two-thirds of the expenditure on lamps and electricity costs in the long run.
The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department has, on the other hand, conducted a test focusing on the safety of 17 CFL samples priced from $30 to $120.
The results are, on the whole, satisfactory. The most significant deficiency concerned the electrical insulation strength of 2 CFL samples which was reduced by humidity conditioning in the test. To prevent potential electric shock, consumers are advised to switch off before replacing the lamp.
In the torque test, the screw caps of 4 samples became unsecured while the dimension of 1 screw cap slightly deviated from the standard. Over half of the samples also failed to provide sufficient marking and instructions. Chairing the press conference today (June 17) on the publication of CHOICE issue number 308 is Dr. Matthew NG, Vice Chairman of Publicity and Community Relations Committee of the Consumer Council.Issued byConsumer Council17 June 2002
Chairing the press conference today (May 15) on the publication of CHOICE issue number 307 is Dr. Matthew NG, Vice Chairman of Publicity and Community Relations Committee of the Consumer Council.