If your trendy reusable water bottle stinks, it could be hiding mould

A fancy water bottle may have become a must-have accessory in many schools – but health experts have warned all these bottles need to be kept clean, after videos of Gen Z with water bottles contaminated by slimy substances and dodgy dark dots went viral.

One caption read, “Why does my water bottle grow mould after two days?” while another was called, “My experience of drinking mould every day for two months”.

Many pricey water bottles – which are now a fashion statement on top of a way to stay hydrated – have non-dishwasher safe components and hard-to-reach crevices.

These lesser known features led 21-year-old social media user Angela to unwittingly drink mould.

After a period of drinking from a stainless steel bottle, Angela said she became sick for months with cold-like symptoms and a cough, only inspecting her bottle properly after seeing the viral videos.

“It was absolutely disgusting, there were these little black specks within the mouthpiece,” she said.

Many of these products aren’t dishwasher safe and Angela said she had washed both bottle and straw only about once a month with warm water.

“There were heaps of little crevices, especially around the mouthpiece, and I could never totally see if it was clean or not, but I assumed it was fine,” she said.

Having put drinks other than water in the bottle, Angela said she should have been more careful.

But after consistently keeping her bottle clean, she noticed her symptoms eased, although she did not confirm the link with her doctor.

University of Queensland School of Chemistry and Molecular* Biosciences* Associate Professor Jack Wang said most mould in water bottles was produced by mouth bacteria and consuming a small amount wasn’t dangerous.

However, he said consistent, long-term exposure could cause symptoms like coughing, similar to what Angela experienced.

“Colds and coughing could be consistent with her drinking mould but it is also dependent on the type of mould she drank,” he said.

If someone was immunocompromised* or allergic, symptoms would likely worsen.

Assoc Prof Wang said non-dishwasher safe bottles increased the risk of growing mould.

Mouldy parts should ideally be disposed of, he said, but heat and detergent could clean them safely.

He said bottles made from BPA* or non-dishwasher safe parts had to be scrubbed thoroughly as they didn’t tolerate significant heat – which can kill fungal spores*.

“Some of these parts just can’t be cleaned regularly because you won’t get deep enough with a brush or it’s made of something that melts,” he said.

Asked about water bottle mould, the Department of Health also confirmed that ingesting* mould through drinking from water bottles was common and could cause gastrointestinal* discomfort or allergic reactions, particularly in sensitive individuals.

The Food Safety Information Council CEO Lydia Butchmann said water bottles should be cleaned daily, if not after every use.

As bacteria and fungi grow in bottles after touching mouths or being left in warm rooms for long periods, she said it was essential they were thoroughly washed.

It was important to let the residual water dry completely, as excess moisture acted as a breeding ground for nasties, Ms Butchmann said.

For those wanting a more complete clean, she recommended leaving the different parts in hot water with two tablespoons of baking soda for 30 minutes, then rinsing thoroughly with clean water.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• molecular: relating to molecules, the simplest units of a chemical substance
• biosciences: the science of humans, animals, and plants
• immunocompromised: having a weakened immune system and being prone to illness
• BPA: abbreviation of bisphenol-A, a chemical compound used in the production of plastics – many products will advertise now that they are BPA free, so check the labels with your family
• fungal spores: tiny microscopic cells produced by bacteria and fungi that can develop into new bacteria or fungi
• ingesting: taking something into the body by eating, swallowing, absorbing or inhaling
• gastrointestinal: in or relating to both the stomach and the intestine

EXTRA READING

Are microplastics really inside us?

Plastic not so fantastic for people

Why we need to talk about waste and recycling

QUICK QUIZ

1. What kind of symptoms did Angela develop and from what kind of bottle?
2. Parts that don’t tolerate heat very well might be made of what?
3. Assoc Prof Wang said mould in bottles what caused by what?
4. The Department of Health said the mould could cause what other health issues?
5. What is a breeding ground for nasties, according to Ms Butchmann?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Drink bottle design
Drink bottles are a must-have accessory these days. But as this Kids News article informs us, the design of some popular ones makes them difficult to clean and therefore not safe if not cleaned properly and regularly!

Design your own drink bottle that will appeal to your age group, be easy to clean, easy to carry and keep your drink cold.

Draw and label the design features of your drink bottle prototype. Who knows? It might be the next big thing!

Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

2. Extension
Outline the negative health effects of drinking from an unclean water bottle that could contain mould:

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Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

VCOP ACTIVITY
I spy nouns
Nouns are places, names (of people and objects), and time (months or days of the week).

How many nouns can you find in the article?

Can you sort them into places, names and time?

Pick three nouns and add an adjective (describing word) to the nouns.