vendredi 25 mai 2012

Mineral Water Report



Mineral water is distinguished from other types of bottled water by its constant level and relative proportions of mineral and trace elements at the point of emergence from the source.

Finé has a distinctive yet subtle flavor and a soft mouth feel


What is Mineral Water

Bottled water containing not less than 250 parts per million total dissolved solids may be labeled as mineral water. Mineral water is distinguished from other types of bottled water by its constant level and relative proportions of mineral and trace elements at the point of emergence from the source. No minerals can be added to this product. If the total dissolved solids (TDS) content of mineral water is below 500 ppm, or it is greater than 1,500 ppm, the statement "low mineral content" or "high mineral content," respectively, must appear on the principal display panel. If the TDS of mineral water is between 500 and 1,500 ppm, no additional statements are needed. Note: this contrasts to the European definition, where all Natual Spring Waters with a TDS of 0 to 500 mg/liter are considederd Mineral with Low Mineral Content (or just mineral waters).


 


List of Minerals commonly found in Mineral Water

Magnesium - Mg++

Almost all human cells have some level of magnesium in them, and adults need three to four hundred milligrams of magnesium every day. Magnesium is important for the regulation of muscle contractions and the transmission of nerve impulses, and it activates energy-producing enzymes. Bone structure also relies on magnesium, and it expands blood vessels, which lessens the risk of heart attack. Nervousness, lack of concentration, dizziness, and headaches or migraines may result from magnesium deficiency. Most bottled waters have below 20 mg/l of magnesium, though some may have as much as 1000 mg/l.

Calcium - Ca++

Adults need about eight hundred milligrams of calcium per day--babies don’t require as much, but fifteen to nineteen year olds need significantly more. The many benefits of calcium include It stabilizing bone structure, teeth, and cell membranes; ensuring nerve and muscle impulses are properly transmitted; and helping to prevent blood clotting. Calcium also has a balancing effect for numerous skin allergies. Bones decalcify (osteoporosis) and fractures become more likely if a body is not getting enough calcium. Bottled water usually has less than 100 mg/l of calcium, but a few examples have about 500 mg/l.

Potassium - K+

Two to four grams is usually a sufficient day’s supply of potassium. Children and young people should pay particular attention to their intake, since potassium aides the growth of cells. The pressure of water between cells is regulated by potassium, which also makes sure each cell gets enough food. Potassium has special roles to play in muscle contraction and the formation and conduction of impulses of the heart. Potassium deficiency can weaken skeletal muscles and make smooth muscles tired. Typical potassium content in bottled water is less than 5 mg/l, but some (such as Ferrarelle and Malvella) can have as much as 50 mg/l.

Sodium - Na+

A person’s level of exertion largely determines his or her daily requirement of sodium. Normally about three grams are necessary, but severe physical stress can bring the requirement up to fifteen grams or more. The heart’s metabolism is affected by sodium, as is the regular contraction of the heart. Today, we rarely have to worry about sodium deficiency: Salt is an integral part of many foods, especially those that are highly processed. Sodium in bottled water ranges from 10 mg/l in most bottled waters to 1,200 mg/l in a few waters, such as Vichy Catalan and Vichy Célestins.

Sulfate - SO4-

Sulfates are the salts of sulfur. They aid the liver in detoxification and help digestion by stimulating the gall bladder. Sulfates in high doses act as a laxative. Fish, meat, and milk contain sulfates, which are an important component of protein. The human body only absorbs small amounts of sulfates, but these amounts are sufficient to stimulate peristalsis by binding magnesium and sodium to water in the intestine. This effect makes mineral waters rich in sulfates, which taste slightly bitter, suitable as “nonalcoholic bitters” after a meal. Most bottled waters have well below 100 mg/l of sulfates, but San Pellegrino and a few others can reach 500 mg/l.

Bicarbonate - HCO3-

Present in all biological fluids, bicarbonate is essential for maintaining our bodies’ pH balance. The substance is also found in stomach secretions. Lactic acid generated by physical activity is neutralized by bicarbonate dissolved in water; a similar process raises the pH of some acidic foods. The typical range for bicarbonate in bottled water is 50 to 200 mg/l, but it can reach up to about 1,800 mg/l in waters such as Apollinaris, Gerolsteiner, and Borsec.

 

Japanese Finé


Silica  - SiO2

Most adults need between twenty and thirty milligrams of silica daily. [An essential mineral building block, silica is one of the body’s greatest energizing nutrients.] Silica reduces the risk of heart disease and may prevent osteoporosis; it also helps tissue repair by serving as an antioxidant. Hair and nails are strengthened by silica. If bottled waters contain any silica, it’s usually less than 20 mg/l, and the higher levels in waters such as Fiji and Antipodes are well below 100 mg/l.




Trace Elements

The human body needs iron, iodine, copper, fluoride, zinc, and other trace elements as well as minerals. The recommended daily intake is fractions of a milligram for some substances and a few milligrams for others.


Anecdotique Comparaison
Iluliaq Analysis : Iceberg Water
5 TDS
7.8 ph factor
1 Calcium
3 Chloride
0.05 Fluordine
1 Hydrogeniccarbonate
0.08 Iron
1 Magnesium
0.14 Nitrate
0.1 Potassium
1.8 Sodium
0.5 Sulphates

Minerality Super Low
Orientation Hint of Sweet
Hardness Soft
Vintage 15.000 years


Water of Dream I : Iceberg Water : " Iluliaq ": Prestige Purity & Travel Sip of Iceberg



Country of Origin: Greenland
Region: Ilulissat Icefjord
Place Name: Ilulissat
Vintage 15.000 years
It began as snow, falling from an ice age sky onto what is now the Greenland ice cap. There it remained preserved, untouched and pristine throughout the millennia.
Located 190 miles north of the Arctic Circle on the west coast of Greenland, the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier has been a protected site on UNESCO's World Heritage list since 2004. This glacier produces more ice than any other glacier on the northern hemisphere, filling the Ilulissat Ice fjord with icebergs that are the source of Iluliaq.





The ice is harvested by Kalaaleq people in the ice fjord for Iluliaq Original Iceberg Water, the same way it’s been harvested for centuries. Kalaaleq people know the three different type of ice: the blue ice, transparent and hard, comes from melted snow that froze again; the Basal ice, tainted with mud and rocks comes from ice that rubbed on the basalt rocks; and the Glacial ice, pure and white, untouched, is the source of Iluliaq water, saved just before it will melt in the ocean and become salt water.
Then the ice is brought to the bottling facility, right in Ilulissat. It’s melted naturally, slowly, because energy is rare and precious in Greenland. To insure the unique quality of the water, elegant glass bottles and stoppers are sterilized by autoclave and individually filled and sealed, on demand, for each customer.
Iluliaq only produce water on demand and don’t stock any bottle to make sure that the freshest water is sent to our customers. Each bottle is dated and the name of the customer is written on the label. The production of Iluliaq Iceberg Water is very limited because it’s totally hand made, it’s not an industrial water.
As a distinct net import country, Greenland imports more goods than it exports, usually via water. Iluliaq avoids unnecessary carbon emissions by taking advantage of free capacity on ships returning to the mainland.

Iluliarsuit Pujortumi  Salomine Moller Lorentzen Photography
Iluliarsuit Pujortumi Salomine / Moller Lorentzen Photography

Greenland is a remarkable place for water.


It began as snow, falling from an ice age sky onto what is now the Greenland ice cap. There it remained preserved, untouched and pristine throughout the millennia. Located north of the Arctic Circle on the west coast of Greenland, the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier has been a protected site on UNESCO’s (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage List since 2004. This glacier produces more ice than any other outside Antarctica, filling the Ilulissat Ice fjord with icebergs that are the source of Iluliaq, the purest water in the world.


A Pure classification (a TDS level of less than 10 ppm) is only achieved naturally by melted ice or snow that has never touched the earth. Measuring a mere 5 ppm, Iluliaq Original Iceberg Water surpasses even this rare level of purity. Iluliaq Original Iceberg Water is the ideal water for distinctive gourmets and fine liquor amateurs.



Iluliaq Analysis:
5 TDS
7.8 ph factor
1 Calcium
3 Chloride
0.05 Fluordine
1 Hydrogeniccarbonate
0.08 Iron
1 Magnesium
0.14 Nitrate
0.1 Potassium
1.8 Sodium
0.5 Sulphates

milligrams per liter (mg/l)

Minerality Super Low
Orientation Hint of Sweet
Hardness Soft
Vintage 15.000 years



Sip of Icerberg
Icebergs in Disko Bay, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ilulissat, Jakobshavn, Greenland, Denmark Icebergs dans Disko Bay, Site du Patrimoine Mondial de l’UNESCO, Ilulissat, Jakobshavn, Groenland, Danemark Eisberge in Disko Bay , Welterbe der UNESCO, Ilulissat, Jakobshavn, Grönland, Groenland, Dänemark, Daenemark

Reportage : Sip of Iceberg, 02 janvier 2012 (SourceFineWaters)


Icebergs dans Disko Bay,
Site du Patrimoine Mondial de l’UNESCO, Ilulissat, Jakobshavn, Groenland, Danemark
M & G Therin-Weise

It is not easy reaching Greenland in November as the only international connection, a flight by Air Greenland leaves only five times a week from Copenhagen. Landing in Kangerlussuaq after five hours, it quickly becomes clear that you have reached one of the outer posts of civilization . 
You immediately notice that weather conditions dictate everything, that the people are very friendly and the food at the small airport is very good,fresh and local. A good sign for things to come.
We came to Greenland to visit Ilulissat, a small town of about 5.000 people 155 miles (250 km) north of the Arctic Circle to meet with Julien Caquineau a French native and the founder of Iluliaq a small company bottling ice berg water from the Ilulissat Ice Fjord.
 

We got the first view of the Ice Fjord from the window of the Hotel Arctic and I don't mean a distant view. The icebergs breaking off the glacier drifted right in front of or widow to the north on a journey that will ultimately lead them to the North Atlantic.
Sermeq Kujalleq glacier is the source of all the ice in the ice fjord and it is per day calving the entire consummation/utilization of water in new York for a whole year. The Ice Fjord which itself is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Hotel Arctic in Ilulissat is the northernmost 4 star hotel in the world and a must visit for any traveler with global ambitions. The contrast between the luxury of the hotel and the remoteness of the area is stunning and so is the world class food as we discovered later.
Sitting at 8am for breakfast in the dining room of the hotel, which must have one of the most amazing views in the world, we noticed that we were north of the Arctic Circle. It was still totally dark outside except some moon light that allowed us to see the contours of the ice bergs floating by. Sunrise was still almost two hours away.
We were scheduled to meet with Julien for a trip to the ice fjord that morning to help harvest some ice for an upcoming special order of his water.



Nothing can prepare you, and you will never forget taking a small 19ft open cabin boat to the Ice Fjord a dynamic landscape of ice bergs the size of many city blocks slowly moving around interrupted only by the unnerving loud bangs of ice breaking off and falling into the cold ocean.
Iluliaq is a very special water. It is water melted from ice that is harvested form icebergs drifting out of the fjord. As we learned it is of paramount importance to select the right ice and we are now looking for old original ice that has never been melted and re-frozen as such a ice would contain impurities. The native ice harvester have a life long experience in the ice fjord and quickly find such ice for us to harvest in stainless steel tanks.

 filipekfotoshoot

Back at the clean room of the bottling plant in Ilulissat the ice is slowly and naturally melted and carefully bottled. The result is Iluliaq one of the most exclusive waters in the world and we cannot wait to taste it at a grand dinner at the hotel scheduled for the evening.
For the last decade or more Spain was the center of the epicurean world producing world class chefs and influencing what we eat and how we prepare it. The influence of Spain lingers but if you are a true foody you know by now that the center has shifted to Scandinavian countries in what people call the Nordic Cuisine. It has given us chefs like Claus Meyer of Noma (Copenhagen) and we were lucky that the award winning head chef of the Arctic Hotel Jeppe Ejvind Nielsen has trained in such an environment.
The chef uses almost exclusively local produce and in a place like Ilulissat this means seafood like cod, halibut, salmon and shrimp of outstanding quality as well as meat from musk ox, caribou and lamb. There are also a number of dishes with a strong native influence enjoyed by the many native visitors attending meetings and conferences at the Arctic Hotel.



That evening we had a 7 course tasting menu designed around all the local produce available and we also opened the first bottle of Iluliaq, the water form the icebergs just floating if front of the restaurant.



Iceberg water is rain/snow that fell 10-15.000 years ago and has been frozen ever since.
Iluliaq is soft, neutral and has almost a hint f sweet due to the neutral ph. The water is a perfect pairing for the subtle tastes of the seafood and also goes very well with wine from the expansive wine list at the restaurant.

Water is not just water. It has terroir and it tells a story of its origin. Iluliaq is a great ambassador for Greenland.

Water of Dream II : Iceberg Water : " Iluliaq ": Prestige & Art Design Fairly Painless Advertising