With Ramadan starting this week, Gloucestershire County Council’s Trading Standards Service is warning Muslims about the health risks of drinking fake holy water.

Tests carried out by the Food Standards Agency have shown that bottled water sold in the UK and falsely described or labelled as Zam Zam water can contain almost three times the legal limit of arsenic.

Genuine Zam Zam water comes from the sacred well of Zam Zam in Mecca, the most holy city in Islam, and demand increases during Ramadan. It cannot be legally exported from Saudi Arabia for commercial sale, so any product found locally in shops is of uncertain origin.

As well as potentially not complying with UK food regulations, the fake Zam Zam water could pose a safety risk as drinking water contaminated with arsenic could increase people’s risk of cancer. However, if anyone has occasionally drunk small amounts of it, the risk to health for adults and older children would be very low. Eddie Coventry, Head of Gloucestershire County Council’s Trading Standards, said: “It’s important to raise awareness of the potential dangers of drinking fake Zam Zam water sold commercially, which is quite different to genuine Zam Zam from Saudi Arabia.

“We have seized bottles of fake Zam Zam before and if anyone sees this water on sale in the county, we would urge them to report it to us by calling 01452 426201 or e-mailing tradstds@gloucestershire.gov.uk”

Cllr Will Windsor-Clive, Gloucestershire County Council Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Youth, said: “The county council’s Trading Standards team does a great deal of good work to ensure that people in the county are not exploited.

“Zam Zam water is extremely important to Muslims and many people will buy this fake holy water in good faith, especially during Ramadan, but they need to be aware that they could be putting their health at risk.”

This advice does not relate to genuine Zam Zam water being brought into UK by returning pilgrims.