“Waiter, there’s a bizarre growth in my Vitamin Water bottle!” A Glacéau representative contacted us to officially clear up the mystery surrounding two of our posts where readers sent in pictures of strange mold things they found in their Vitamin Water bottles. She said,

There are two seals in place when the product is manufactured. One seal is a tamper band connected to the cap that separates upon opening the bottle, the other is a vacuum seal that is created during pasteurization. In rare instances, this vacuum seal may be broken. This may typically occur when a bottle experiences high impact due to rough handling through distribution. Air may potentially get into the bottle and mold may then be able to develop. As with any natural product without preservatives, such as bread and fruit, contact with outside air can cause a common mold to form. This is not something that would cause any health issues.

The rep also told me that this is not the first time Vitamin Water has heard of/seen instances of these kinds of molds in their bottles. So, no hazard, beyond the gag factor of finding a harmless mold in your drink,and perhaps even the potential for a science fair project idea! The original photos, all big-size, inside…

(Pics courtesy of readers Jenny and Steve!)

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