Quality reassurance: Tannourine resumes production after Health Ministry approval

Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Lebanese water company Tannourine has resumed production and distribution after the Public Health Ministry granted permission following a temporary precautionary halt.

The reopening ceremony, attended by Industry Minister Joe Issa Khoury, was framed as part of supporting the Lebanese industry. Khoury described the initial suspension as the result of a technical error in one of the laboratories that tested the water.

However, Health Ministry sources maintained their earlier position, recalling that Minister Rakan Nassereddine had announced the discovery of bacteria in one of the production lines during an initial assessment, which prompted a temporary precautionary shutdown.

The same sources told LBCI that the decision to allow Tannourine to resume operations came only after the company made technical adjustments recommended by the sanitary engineering department and after additional samples confirmed full compliance with safety standards. The ministry emphasized that its actions remain guided by public health priorities rather than sectarian or political motives.

According to officials who spoke to LBCI, Tannourine has implemented strict internal procedures, including hourly testing of samples from production lines. No water bottles are released to the market until results, within 24 hours, confirm the water is 100% safe. The company also conducts regular quality checks at the Industrial and Agricultural Research Institute laboratories to ensure ongoing compliance.

The cause of the initial laboratory error noted by the Industry Minister remains under review, pending a scientific investigation to verify whether a procedural mistake occurred.