Can Opened Bottled Water Go Bad?
Opened water bottle doesn’t really go bad; it just absorbs the carbon dioxide present in the environment. This causes a change in its taste but doesn’t make it bad. However, it is still recommended to not drink water from an opened bottle of water after three days of its opening.
The FDA does not mandate shelf life for bottled water, but plastic bottles may leach out chemicals similar to hormones, which grow in quantity over time. The FDA does not specify a shelf life requirement and the water may last an unlimited amount of time, however, plastic bottles can leach chemicals over time that affect flavor. To be sure, many bottled water companies will print a two-year shelf life date on their bottles, though really, there is not a exact way to predict when the plastic will leach into your water. The two-year expiration date is more a guesstimate on when a water bottle is more likely to be exposed to heat, or when it starts degrading, however, the sad reality is that most water bottles are exposed to excess heat for several days after they are purchased, particularly if they are purchased during the summer.
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After those expiration dates, you are safe to consume the majority of packaged water, provided that you performed the tests mentioned. The FDA does not require that you label your water with the date it is expired, but typically, if kept out of the sun, the water should remain fresh for one year. If you keep distilled water correctly, it may last far longer than the expiration date may indicate. Drinking your bottled water past the date of expiration does not cause immediate consequences, but can leave lasting negative effects in your body.
| Types | Shelf Life |
| Water Bottle in Pantry | 5 Years |
| Plastic Water Bottle | 2 Years |
Even if drinking water past the best-by date is not considered a problem to regulatory agencies, keeping bottled water longer may, in some cases, present a potential risk. Failing to properly store distilled water would lead to contaminated and more rapidly spoiling distilled water. You should only be concerned if your water has been sitting without the top off for an extended period of time, because that will expose it to contamination.
From this experiment, you could easily conclude that keeping your water in an open container is not a good idea unless you have a plan for cleaning it up when you need to drink it. See, when you keep unopened water in plastic bottles too long, the plastic starts dissolved into it, which will contaminate the liquid. It is the bottles themselves which cause water to break down over time, as the plastic emits chemicals into the water in specific conditions.
This is why water stored in glass containers typically lasts longer and maintains quality better than the fluids in plastic bottles. So, water stored in glass bottles usually will last longer and remain of good quality in comparison with the water stored in, let us say, aluminum. Water bottles, like any objects made from plastics and other such materials, are always designed and made to last a very long period of time.
Water bottled in plastic containers may develop bad flavors and odors over time, but this does not necessarily mean that it is bad for drinking. It is important to realize that although water does not necessarily spoil, the contents of plastics and other materials may degrade in water and become unhealthy over time. The point of danger in these bottles is that, when exposed to high heat, plastic can actually melt and leach into the drinking water itself.
Bottles made with BPA or other chemicals can even leach chemicals into your water, which could harm your health. There is no harm in drinking water left overnight as long as it is stored correctly. Always cover water kept in a glass or an open container. Never place your mouth on a bottle, and if you do, fully consume the entire bottle in one sitting. Do not leave your water bottle in the car. Use a glass for drinking water, and wash it daily. To make sure that your water bottle is safe to drink and is not filled with chemicals, experts advise you still to check the best-by date on the package. Knowing the dates allows you to discard your bottles and avoid chemicals leaching into your water.
Lists can be somewhat misleading, and may lead you to question if water is still safe to drink once an expiration date has passed. This question comes up every time we see these dates of expiration numbers on bottles of Water at the supermarkets and stores. It is for that very reason, not for their contents that may actually get worse, that most companies producing water include an expiry date on the bottles.
Despite that, experts still advise to always err on the side of caution, and to avoid drinking water from plastic bottles that are well past their shelf life. Since it is about liquids stored in plastic tanks, and plastic, as we all know, has the tendency to degrade over time and release harmful elements to whatever is stored inside, bottled water is highly recommended to be used for either two years (still aqua) or one year (sparkling aqua). The US FDA, who regulates bottled water, does not require that a shelf life is listed, but because plastic does degrade over time, particularly when heated, we recommend two years for still water and one year for sparkling water.
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The Food and Drug Association believes water has an unlimited shelf life and says that the water is safe for consumption if it has not been tampered with or opened. Since water is a naturally occurring substance, it has an unlimited shelf life, however, because of plastic water bottles that leach chemicals into water over time, we recommend 2 years of shelf life for still water. As a rule of thumb, if you drink bottled water fairly soon after buying it, do not subject it to extreme heat or store it in proximity to any home chemicals for extended periods of time, and refrigerate once opened, your bottled water should be completely safe.
Unopened bottled water will last 5 years as long as you store it in your pantry, keep it out of the sun, heat, ovens, radiators, and store away from solvents and chemicals. Your water can theoretically stay good for years, as long as you seal it right and store it appropriately to prevent germs or other contaminants from getting into it. As long as your distilled water has been stored correctly and you have not detected any signs of contamination, distilled water beyond the shelf life of the product may function well in a CPAP machine.
Do bacteria grow in open water bottles?
A water container may support the growth of microorganisms, parasites, and even shape due mostly to its moist atmosphere. Bottles with attached straws and tight mouth coverings that have numerous fissures and tiny hiding places are required for special cleaning techniques; simply wiping them off again with water is inadequate.
How long is an opened bottle of water safe to drink?
It’s not recommended to drink the water that’s left uncapped for longer. Your water can be a little bit different if it’s left out in the air because it will absorb carbon dioxide. Because of this, it is advised to drink the water three days after it was first opened. Additionally, germs may pollute it.
Can you get sick from drinking old bottled water?
While the majority of us do it, it is not sanitary to consume old bottled water. It might be polluted, and tainted bottled water is bad for your health since it can lead to neurological diseases, reproductive issues, and gastrointestinal illnesses. In fact, most of the diseases can be linked to drinking contaminated water.