Star-San vs. Iodophor - FIGHT!

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Which Sanitizer

  • Star-San

  • Iodophor

  • Other


Results are only viewable after voting.
This myth had been floating around for a while.
Probably because there are scientists going around saying stuff like:
Broad-spectrum Germicides.

The term “Broad Spectrum” when applied to a sanitizer means that it will attack a wide variety of different types of microorganisms, including gram-positive bacteria (Listeria and Staphylococcus), gram negative bacteria (E. coli and Salmonella), viruses, fungi (both yeasts and molds), as well as many parasites. Broad-spectrum germicides act on microbial membranes, cellular enzymes, DNA, and protein. Iodine-based sanitizers have been used as antimicrobial agents since the 1800s and have a broad spectrum of activity They are a powerful sanitizer in strong acidic aqueous solutions. They are generally used at 12.5 to 25 ppm available iodine, and can cause staining on some surfaces, especially plastics.

Acid-anionic sanitizers are surface-active sanitizers, but negatively charged. Formulations include inorganic and organic acids plus a surfactant. Carboxylic acids (fatty acids) are some times incorporated as well. They are unaffected by hard water or organic soils. The dual function of acid is that it can be used for rinsing and sanitizing in one step. These sanitizers must be used at low pH. Activity above pH 3.5–4.0 is minimal. Acidity, detergency, stability, and noncorrosiveness makes them highly effective. Acid-anionic sanitizers are broad spectrum against bacteria and viruses, but not very effective against yeasts and molds.

Iodophors are considered broad spectrum anti microbial vs. Star San being a being anti bacterial. The actual label for Star San lists what it is registered to kill: E Coli and Staph A – the minimum baseline for allowing a claim of being a sanitizer with the EPA. Iodophor has proven effectiveness against not only gram positive and negative bacteria, but yeast, mold, fungi and viruses and is also a sporicidal agent.
I'm not the type to blindly believe a scientist, but he does make sense and I figure it doesn't cost me hardly anything for that extra measure of safety.
 
Choose which sanitizer you use. Post why you use it, including your list of pros and cons.

Star-San most of the time. Iodophor maybe every 10 batches to mix things up. Also use Sani-Clean sometimes.

Star-san solution keeps...sometimes I will keep it around for a couple months and verify effectiveness by testing pH. In iodophor solutions the active ingredient evaporates out of the solution so it is loosing active anytime it is exposed to air.

I'm also understanding iodophor should be allowed to air dry to keep the iodine out of your beer. But the labels are a little confusing and in some applications I guess they are ok to be used non-rinsed non-air dried but not in others. The air drying step is a hassle and I just imagine my equipment and bottles and kegs picking up fresh contaminants as soon as the surface is dry. Star-san you reassemble your gear wet. If its clean and wet with star-san you know its sanitized.
 
Wow, dug up a thread that started a sanitizer fight 14 years ago and was last replied to 6 years before again 3 days ago.

I don't use Iodaphor because it will stain things, Starsan is effective, very easy to use and won't stain things.
 
This myth had been floating around for a while.

Star San is a broad spectrum sanitizer and kills both yeast and bacteria.

Use iodophor if you want, but Star San does the job equally well.

You sure about that? I’ve always understood Star San cannot kill these microorganisms (yeast and mold) due to its mode of action.

I thought dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (the active ingredient in Star San) kills via attraction to positively charged cells (hence, the anionic part of acid-anionic). Once inside of a bacteria cell, the surfactant goes about wreaking havoc on cellular function. Yeast and mold cells are negatively charged; therefore, Star San is not effective against these organisms.

On the other hand, Iodophor kills it all.
 
While the zombie walks ........

I bought five pounds of OneStep earlier this year. It's all I've used for cleaning/sanitizing and I'm very pleased with it. In five batches of beer I've had no infections.

I had been a diehard iodophor user and had good results but wanted something non-staining. I would usually make a quart spray bottle of iodophor on brew day to quickly hit anything that needs to be sanitized. Today though I filled my sprayer with OneStep solution.

So far, so good.

All the Best,
D. White
 
I'm not the type to blindly believe a scientist, but he does make sense and I figure it doesn't cost me hardly anything for that extra measure of safety.
Like I said, use whatever you want, but be aware of this myth.

Yeast and mold cells are negatively charged; therefore, Star San is not effective against these organisms.
This is the whole basis for the myth, right? It's not true.

Milk the Funk does a good job of laying out all the facts and evidence:
http://www.milkthefunk.com/wiki/Quality_Assurance#Homebrew_cleaners_and_disinfectants
 
And what is wrong with the bleach? Seems to be cheaper and more effective than anything else. I am a beginner though and may be missing something.
If you use stainless steel bleach can pit it if not rinsed ASAP. Then as mentioned earlier once rinsed it is no longer sanitized.
 
If you use stainless steel bleach can pit it if not rinsed ASAP. Then as mentioned earlier once rinsed it is no longer sanitized.
Concentration matters. Pitting does not occur when it's diluted to the concentration used for no-rinse sanitizing.

1oz of bleach plus 1 oz vinegar mixed in 5 gallons gives only about 80ppm, which is highly effective at killing microbes but still low enough to be no-rinse.
 
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Concentration matters. Pitting does not occur when it's diluted to the concentration used for no-rinse sanitizing.

1oz of bleach plus 1 oz vinegar mixed in 5 gallons gives only about 40ppm, which is highly effective at killing microbes but still low enough to be no-rinse.
You never want bleach in your beer at any level. I use RO water and then adjust it to fit the style I'm brewing. If I can get RO I run it through a solid charcoal filter.
 
not bleach.
You never want bleach in your beer at any level.
The fact remains that lots of brewers have used this concentration of bleach + vinegar as a no-rinse sanitizer and that it causes no adverse effects on flavor, no equipment melting to down to scrap, and nothing spontaneously bursting into flames. If you disagree, try to find a single report to support your claims, someone using the recommended concentration.
There's no question that it's highly effective -- bleach actually sterilizes.

I'm not advocating bleach (I believe other sanitizers are better), but it is a perfectly valid option. If you prefer other things, that's great.
 
I'm an Iodophor guy, it's what I used when I started brewing and it has always worked well for me, so no reason to switch really, I trust it. Yeah the contact time is longer, but I just let things soak while I do something else, and it does stain a bit, meh. I've thought about using Star San, but I think the foam would drive me nuts.

lol, just noticed this thread is 14 years old. Nice.
 
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I'm an Iodophor guy, it's what I used when I started brewing and it has always worked well for me, so no reason to switch really, I trust it. Yeah the contact time is longer, but I just let things soak while I do something else, and it does stain a bit, meh. I've thought about using Star San, but I think the foam would drive me nuts.

lol, just noticed this thread is 14 years old. Nice.
I started with idaphor then switched to star San because of the staining and Star San lasts for a long time. Also, idaphor foams just as much to me.
 
Don't fear the foam. Besides it really doesn't foam that much, usually. I actually like the foam when bottling. It give you warning when the bottles are about full.
 
I like to bottle on foam because I feel it pushes oxygen out.
The recommendation to "cap on foam" is for bottling carbonated beer, where the foam is CO2 bubbles. Star San foam on the other hand contains just as much oxygen as air.
 
The recommendation to "cap on foam" is for bottling carbonated beer, where the foam is CO2 bubbles. Star San foam on the other hand contains just as much oxygen as air.
I'm talking about beer foam. I spray the inside of my bottles with vodka before bottling to remove the StarSan. Sorry, should have been clear on that.
 
The fact remains that lots of brewers have used this concentration of bleach + vinegar as a no-rinse sanitizer and that it causes no adverse effects on flavor, no equipment melting to down to scrap, and nothing spontaneously bursting into flames. If you disagree, try to find a single report to support your claims, someone using the recommended concentration.
There's no question that it's highly effective -- bleach actually sterilizes.

I'm not advocating bleach (I believe other sanitizers are better), but it is a perfectly valid option. If you prefer other things, that's great.

I would be curious to hear how long stainless can stay in contact with a solution of this concentration without concern of pitting. I've "sterilized" my mixed-use equipment once or twice a year with the same solution just for piece of mind.
 
There's really no need to use a surface sanitizer with contact time longer than around an hour. They're effective within minutes. It's not a cleaning product.
 
Like I said, use whatever you want, but be aware of this myth.


This is the whole basis for the myth, right? It's not true.

Milk the Funk does a good job of laying out all the facts and evidence:
http://www.milkthefunk.com/wiki/Quality_Assurance#Homebrew_cleaners_and_disinfectants

So if the sources on MTF are to be believed, if I leave the star san for 5 minutes, I've killed most any lingering yeast in my equipment (assuming the equipment is clean, free of biofilms, scratches, crevices)?
 
So if the sources on MTF are to be believed, if I leave the star san for 5 minutes, I've killed most any lingering yeast in my equipment (assuming the equipment is clean, free of biofilms, scratches, crevices)?
Yes sir!

There is some debate about the minimum required contact time, but 3-5 minutes is plenty.
 
when i had infection issues early in brewing i used both solved my problems. now i only use star san.
 
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