Where does the best mineral water in the world come from

A. Italians claim - along with pasta and pizza - to bottle some of the purest mineral water anywhere, although it's a keenly contested competition, with brands such as Evian and Perrier being world leaders. Lurisia is one of the most respected Piedmontese waters because of its very low mineral content. Piedmont in northern Italy is renowed for its water as almost every village has its own source and there's an abundance of streams and springs from the mountains.

The Piedmont area is important gastronimically for its water, as well as being the home to Alba, which is famous for its truffles, Asti, the home of wines such as barolo and barbaresco, and Monferrato, where arborio and carnali rice is harvested.

One of the reasons the area does so well is its climate. There is heavy snowfall during winter which, when it has melted, percolates through the volcanic rock to emerge years later at the source of Lurisia water.

Q. Who discovered the water here

A. An underground grotto was discovered by Marie Curie in 1918. The story goes she found the spring, praised as a "miracle of purity" when she was searching for uranium down a deep tunnel. Scientific experiments on the Lurisa water found it has the lowest mineral levels of any Italian water, with only 37mg of dissolved minerals in every litre (the Italian brand, San Pellegrino, has 1,162mg per litre). This means the taste is extremely neutral, allowing the true taste of food to come through. In the carbonated version, the higher a water's mineral content, the more gas it retains after carbonization, so the Lurisia bottle has a soft, velevety fizz.

Q. Where is this water sold

A. It's eminently popular in New York, where health conscious diners drink more Lurisia water than any other bottled water. But it's available in the UK as well, popular in London watering holes and health clubs. Lurisia retains its 1950s label, which was inspired by Gio Ponte, Italy's most influential postwar architect and designer.

Q. Will this become a brand leader

A. The Lurisia source produces enough water for only 40 million litres a year to be bottled - as opposed to the incredible four million a day of Evian water. Perrier-Vittel is the world wide market leader. Nestle acquired Perrier in 1992, and almost 200,000 people, including 2,000 at the Vergeze Perrier spring, are employed in the production of 11 billion litres of mineral water a year. The Perrier name was established in 1898 when Louis Perrier, a doctor, bought the Bouillens estate. Water was discovered on the plain of Languedoc as far back as the Roman times when Hannibal rested his army at Bouillens and discovered a plentiful supply of refreshing spring water.

Q. What does mineral water contain

A. One of the main ingredients in a mineral water label is sodium. It occurs naturally and abundantly in most foods and most people don't require any additional sources. Mineral water tends to contain large amounts of sodium, and ironically the saltier the water, the more you will consume. The French brand Bardoit, for example, contains 150mg of sodium per litre, compared with tap water which contains 17mg per litre.

Mineral water also contains calcium. This important mineral helps keep teeth healthy and fight osteoporosis. Brands such as Volvic and Spa tend to contain very little amounts of calcium, and the best source is said to be tap water. Magnesium can be found in mineral water, and too little of this mineral can leads to nausea and cause heartbeat irregularities. Experts say the amount of magnesium found in mineral water will have little effect on people's intake.

Bicarbonate can also be found in small quantities. These are negatively charged ions that help regulate the acidity levels in the body. There is no daily recommended intake. Mineral water also contains heavy metals. Small traces such as aluminium, silver, cadmium and mercury are permitted.

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Katharine MacColl