[The marketing evaluation of the consumers' preference as regards the use of medicinal and medicinal table mineral waters].

The development of modern technologies in physiotherapy with the use of mineral waters, the expansion of the assortment of the medicinal and medicinal table waters as well as increasing the competitive advantages of domestic products require the more extensive marketing survey of the consumers' preferences in the market of mineral waters. AIM: The objective of the present study was the marketing evaluation of the consumers' preference in the segment of medicinal and medicinal table mineral waters in the city of Moscow. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The survey involved 697 consumers of medicinal and medicinal table mineral waters. The sampling was carried out by the deterministic quota method. The field research was conducted by means of personal verbal interviews (32%) and the CATI to Web method (phone recruiting and on-line questioning) (68%) with the use of the structured questionnaire. Positioning was carried out making use of the two-dimensional schematic map and scoring assessment on an individual basis with calculation of integrated indicators. RESULTS: The marketing evaluation has demonstrated that the principal motive for purchasing mineral waters in more than 40% of respondents was the treatment and prevention of various diseases including disturbances in the urogenital system as well as digestive and respiratory disorders that appear to be the most frequent reasons for the consumption of mineral waters. The main factors that form the preferences of the consumers as regards the use of a concrete variety of mineral waters were elucidated. Of crucial importance for approximately 40% of the consumers (p<0.01) proved to be their health condition, the medical indications, and the available information about the therapeutic effectiveness of one or another type of mineral waters. Other factors were the quality of mineral water, its cost, the manufacturer and/or place of production, the attractiveness of the packaging, etc. CONCLUSION: The evaluation of the positioning of the mineral water consumers' preferences made it possible to identify the most preferable products in the group of medicinal mineral waters and in the group of medicinal table mineral waters. The mechanisms governing the formation of the consumers' preferences as regards the use of various mineral waters have been clarified in the course of the present study.

Trace elements and heavy metals in mineral and bottled drinking waters on the Iranian market.

A survey of Iranian waters, sampled from 2010 to 2013, is presented. A total of 128 water samples from 42 different brands of bottled mineral and drinking water were collected and analysed for contamination levels of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg). Determinations were performed using a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer for Pb, Cd and Cu, a hydride vapour generation as well as an Arsenator digital kit (Wagtech WTD, Tyne and Wear, UK) for As and a direct mercury analyser for Hg. Arsenic concentration in six bottled gaseous mineral samples was higher than the related limit. Regardless of these, mean concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cu, As and Hg in all types of water samples were 4.50 ± 0.49, 1.08 ± 0.09, 16.11 ± 2.77, 5.80 ± 1.63 and 0.52 ± 0.03 µg L⁻¹, respectively. Values obtained for analysed heavy metals in all samples were permissible according to the limits of national and international standards.

Influence of minerals on the taste of bottled and tap water: a chemometric approach.

Chemometric analysis was performed on two sets of sensory data obtained from two separate studies. Twenty commercially-available bottled mineral water samples (from the first study) and twenty-five drinking tap and bottled water samples (from the second study) were blind tasted by trained panelists. The panelists expressed their overall liking of the water samples by rating from 0 (worst flavor) to 10 (best flavor). The mean overall score was compared to the physicochemical properties of the samples. Thirteen different physicochemical parameters were considered in both studies and, additionally, residual chlorine levels were assessed in the second study. Principal component analysis performed on the physicochemical parameters and the panelists' mean scores generated models that explain most of the total data variance. Moreover, partial least squares regression of the panelists' sensory evaluations of the physicochemical data helped elucidate the main features underlying the panelists' ratings. The preferred bottled and tap water samples were associated with moderate (relatively to the parameters mean values) contents of total dissolved solids and with relatively high concentrations of HCO3⁻, SO4²â», Ca²âº and Mg²âº as well as with relatively high pH values. High concentrations of Na⁺, K⁺ and Cl⁻ were scored low by many of the panelists, while residual chlorine did not affect the ratings, but did enable the panel to distinguish between bottled mineral water and tap water samples.

Concentrations of selected trace elements in mineral and spring bottled waters on the Serbian market.

Eight selected trace elements, which are generally included in regulations, were analyzed in 23 types of bottled waters. Ten mineral and seven spring bottled waters were from the Serbian market and six mineral bottled waters were obtained in different EU countries. For the purpose of comparison, selected tap waters were also analyzed. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used for the analysis of trace elements (arsenic, cadmium, copper, manganese, nickel, lead and antimony). Results were compared with the Serbian regulations for bottled water, EU regulations and guideline values set by the World Health Organization for drinking water. With few exceptions, the trace element levels of most bottled waters were below the guideline values. However, a higher content of antimony was observed in waters from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers, indicating a potential leaching of this element from the plastic packaging.

Clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness evidence of spa therapy in osteoarthritis. The results of "Naiade" Italian Project.

AIM: The "Naiade" Project was carried out in execution of the Decree of December 1994 by the Italian Ministry of Health, with the objective of defining the therapeutic role of spa therapy in the various sectors of medicine. In this study the authors refer to the results obtained in osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: The OA study included the observation of patients for 2 consecutive years, with the compilation of a series of clinical and socio-economic data. The initial sample was of 11437 patients suffering from primary and secondary OA, and in the 2(nd) year the total number of assessable patients was 6111 (53.4%). All patients underwent 1 annual cycle of balneotherapy and mud packs therapy for 2 consecutive years. The thermal treatments were carried out in 98 Italian spas with sulphurous water, sodium chloride-bromide-iodide water, sulphate water, and bicarbonate water. Analysis of the data collected confirmed the clinical efficacy of spa treatments for OA, particularly for localisations in the cervical and lumbar spine. The benefits of these treatments and the persistence of the therapeutic effects over time were clearly demonstrated by the collection of some socio-economic indicators relative to the year before each cycle of thermal therapy. RESULTS: In fact, the analysis of these indicators showed a significant reduction in recourse to additional treatments (hospital admissions, physical and pharmacological therapies) and absence from work. CONCLUSION: The obtained data was particularly interesting for the number of samples examined, the follow-up over a period of 2 years, and the collection of clinical and, especially, socio-economic parameters. The results of the Naiade Project confirmed the value of spa therapies in the treatment of OA.

Bottle wars: England versus Scotland versus France.

Four batches of four brands of bottled water from England, Scotland and France were tested for their microbiological and physicochemical characteristics during a 2-month study. The lowest priced brand of water had the highest nitrate content (46.9 mg/L), while the most expensive brand did not necessarily have the best values for pH, total dissolved solids, turbidity or plate count. While no sample was positive for E. coli, the range of other measured values varied widely between brands and batches during the study. The bottled water samples from France on average demonstrated better results than the other countries studied.

Acreditación del valor terapeútico de los balnearios de Urmiri y Viscachani del Departamento de La Paz / Acreditation of the therapeutic value of the beach resorts of Urmiri and Viscachani of the Departament of La Paz

La balneoterapia como especialidad de la medicina esta orientada al tratamiento de diferentes enfermedades en establecimientos balnearios, por mediode baños terapeúticos; en el presente trabajo de investigación parte de la problemática se refiere a los balnearios y a la falta de conocimientos de su verdadero papel a favor de la salud de las personas que acuden por diferentes padecimientos; la otra problemática de fondo víncula tambien la ausencia de estándares mínimos de calildad y certifcación de los balnearios de Urmiri y Viscachani del departamento de La Paz, considerando el valor terapéutico de sus aguas. Esta problemática se enfoca a los campos de la Fisioterapia y Kinesiologia, como soporte científico para los profesionales del sector cuya participación en el pasado inmediato ha sido muy restringida; pero como efectos en el corto plazo por el aporte de ésta investigación, puede garantizarse una mejor y mayor oferta turística en el desarrollo social y económico de la población involucrada...

Estudo do desempenho de embalagens plásticas do mercado brasileiro para água mineral sem gás. I - Garrafas sopradas / Evaluation of brazilian plastic packages for non carbonated natural mineral water I - Blow-molded bottles

Com o objetivo de avaliar a adequaçäo de alguns tipos de embalagens plásticas do mercado brasileiro para o acondicionamento de água mineral sem gás, foram estudados, quanto aos aspectos de resistência mecânica, estanqueidade, permeabilidade ao fenol e interaçäo embalagem/produto. Quanto ao desempenho mecânico, o teste de resistência ao impacto por queda livre evidenciou a necessidade de incorporaçäo de modificadores de impacto nos compostos de PVC e a utilizaçäo de copolímeros de PP, principalmente para a fabricaçäo de embalagens que acondicionam maiores volumes de água mineral a fim de melhorar o desempenho mecânico. Nos testes de estanqueidade foram observados problemas de vedaçäo em grande parte das garrafas de PP e PVC analisadas, o que se atribuiu, entre outros fatores, a defeitos nos gargalos e problemas no dimensionamento das tampas. As garrafas de PEAD apresentaram um sistema de fechamento mais adequado

Estudo do desempenho de embalagens plásticas do mercado brasileiro para água mineral sem gás - II - copos termoformados / Evaluation of brazilian plastic packages for non carbonated natural mineral water - II - thermoformed cups

O objetivo deste estudo foi o de avaliar a adequaçäo de copos plásticos termoformados de polipropileno (PP) e de poliestireno (PS) do mercado brasileiro, para o acondicionamento de água mineral sem gás. Os aspectos avaliados foram: resistência mecânica, integridade do fechamento, permeabilidade ao fenol e interaçäo embalagem/produto. Os copos de PP apresentaram desempenho adequado sob todos os aspectos avaliados, näo tendo sido detectado qualquer problema que desaconselhasse sua utilizaçäo para o acondicionamento de água mineral sem gás, exceto a resistência ao impacto por queda livre que deve ser melhorada. Os copos de PS apresentaram fechamento hermético, permeabilidade ao fenol nula, níveis de migraçäo global abaixo do máximo permitido pela legislaçäo e desempenho mecânico adequado para o acondicionamento em questäo. O problema detectado nesses copos foi a alteraçäo do sabor/odor do produto