What are FDA Standard of Identity?
FDA requires uniform use of terms like “purified” and “spring,” so consumers can be sure different companies use the same descriptions consistently on their product labels. For example, a bottle marked “spring water” must be from a spring. One-fourth of bottled water comes from municipal sources, rather than a spring or well. The FDA requires these products be labeled “from a community water system” or “from a municipal source.” However, if this water goes through a purification process such as distillation or reverse osmosis, FDA has determined that the product can be defined by the type of purification (i.e.; “drinking water”), rather than as from a municipal source.
