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: People who are allergic to shellfish are allergic to : the iodine in the shellfish.  If you are allergic to shellfish, do not : use Iodine preparations as sanitizors. Thanks for the priceless trivia.  In fact, I have a friend with such an allergy whom may have been spared as a result. I would like to know what your opinion is on iodine concentration used in brewing…  I currently use the foodservice type idophor available at the homebrew shops.  For my equipment, I use 1 oz. per 5 gallons which equates to 25ppm titratable iodine, followed by a slight rinse to dilute the remaining film (paranoid?).  For bottling or kegging, I use half strength or 12.5ppm and don’t rinse.  What concentrations are used in the medical field?  I remember getting patched up at the emergency room several times and recall that the typical prep is quite strong.  My goal here is to use the minimum required, although I realize that a thyroid full of iodine provides a measure of protection in the event of nuclear catastrophe.                                 TIA,                               -Tom J.- —                                 Regards,                                  -Tom-

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(I suppose that after sounding scary, I should back off a bit and say that people have been using iodine-based sterilizers for homebrew stuff for a while and I haven’t heard of any fatalities. I was just saying that you should not eat the iodine, like you wouldn’t drink the bleach.)            Sorry for filling up news with the obvious.                             Best Wishes                                 and         may each batch of your beer be better than the last,                             Ian Ollmann

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…about the toxicity of iodine based products.  Perhaps we could entice you to comment on the shelf life of an iodophor solution.  Best storage container?  Ways & means to ensure potency?  I saw someone write that plastic would not be a very good storage vessel as plastic is a hydrocarbon and would hasten deterioraition…this seemed unlikely as most, no all,  iodine products received at our hospital are received in plastic containers. I realize that iodophor concentrates are relatively cheap but so am I and alays trying to save a buck…for an extra pound of crystal! hoppy brewing Steve

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Hello all.  I brewed my first weiss last week and had an interesting situation on my hands.  I picked up this Iodine-based sanitizing solution at my HB store, and used it on my primary.  I let it soak for a couple of hours, and came home later, and proceedeth to create wort.   Thinking nothing of it, I did not examine the primary until the wort was just off the boil.  The primary was stained by the Iodine.  I rinsed thoroughly, but no good (yes, I know, Iodine stains everything).  Would have put the wort straight into the carboy, but no funnel around.   So, I take my chances, and put it in there anyway.  Fermentation looks stuck for first two days.  But on the third day, we have lift off.  So now, everything looks normal, and I siphoned into the carboy.  The bucket is still all stained up.  So, my question is, does anybody know if this brew is probably tainted?  Anybody else ever do this?  I don’t know what to think. Sam Rauch Options Trading Assistant and Tech. Advisor Chicago, IL

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Hello,       I know a little about Iodine Sanitition.  I am a Nurse. Iodine, Betadine, Iodophor… are all basically diluted iodine solutions.  Iodine is not in itself toxic.  In fact salt is iodized because people need it in their diet to keep their Thyriod Gland functioning properly. I do speak of iodine in very small amounts, however.  Many people are allergic to iodine.  People who are allergic to shellfish are allergic to the iodine in the shellfish.  If you are allergic to shellfish, do not use Iodine preparations as sanitizors. Also, iodine need not sit in your vessel longer than five minutes.  A quick scrub is all it takes. Lastly, residual iodine in your fermenter will try to sanitize your pitched yeast.  This may account for your lagtime. Oh, and don’t drink the stuff… It stains your teeth! Nick D. RN (not Barbara)

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Hello all.  I brewed my first weiss last week and had an interesting situation on my hands.  I picked up this Iodine-based sanitizing solution at my HB store, and used it on my primary.

Chances are if your yeast doesn’t mind any sanitizer that "may" have been left around, your body won’t. Not to mention that it is unlikely that any abnormal ammount was left behind in the first place. My suggestion to you is to save alot of money and use 1 Tbs bleach / gallon of hot water for 45 minutes soak. Other sanitizers (e.g. B-Brite <TM) are good for S-Steel, bleach (supposedly) has a reaction with S-Steel.

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Hello,      I know a little about Iodine Sanitition.  I am a Nurse. Iodine, Betadine, Iodophor… are all basically diluted iodine Nick D. RN (not Barbara)

Great… You’re just the person I wanted to ask a question of… What is the proper dilution rate for the Iodophor Iodine solution per gallon of water for sanitizing bottles before filling? Do I need to rinse the bottle with water after sanitizing? Any other "iodine" sanitizing suggestions? —                          | possess, are invincible by any force which our NRA Life Member          | enemy can send against us…I know not what course WAC Member               | others may take, but as for me; give me liberty or Don’t Tread on Me!       | give me death.   –   Patrick Henry, 23 March, 1775

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Other sanitizers (e.g. B-Brite <TM) are good for S-Steel, bleach (supposedly) has a reaction with S-Steel.

The reaction is real, but slow.  I never had a problem, even leaving strong bleach solution for a few days, in my kegs.  After moving, though, i found a keg that had had bleach-water init for a couple of months.  The bottom is so bad that I will need to resurface it before using. — R E HAWKINS

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: Hello, :       I know a little about Iodine Sanitition.  I am a Nurse. : : Iodine, Betadine, Iodophor… are all basically diluted iodine : solutions.  Iodine is not in itself toxic.  In fact salt is iodized : because people need it in their diet to keep their Thyriod Gland : functioning properly.   … Uh…         This doesn’t have that much to do with beer, but I thought I would speak up, just in case the above denial of Iodine’s toxicity prompted anyone to try to eat some. There is a fundamental difference between Iodine used for sterilization and sodium iodide which is present in small quantities in salt. The difference is in oxidation state. The result is similar to the difference between Chlorine gas and sodium chloride. Although iodine is less reactive than chlorine gas, it is still reactive, corrosive, will hurt you if you ingest it and as stated in the post above, it will even stain your teeth. Allow me to quote the entry in the Merck Index (encyclopedia of chemicals and drugs) for Iodine: " Human toxicity:  Ingestion of large quantities causes abdominal pain, nausea,         vomiting, diarrhea. In severe cases, purging, excessive thirst and         circulatory failure may develop. Amounts of 2 to 4 grams have been         fatal. The solid element is intensely irritating to the eyes, skin,         mucous membranes. " One ounce is ~28.3 grams. I am a Ph. D. student in chemistry and I can vouch from experience that solid iodine is irritating to the eyes and skin.                                 Ian Ollmann These opinions are not necessarily those of my employer. You are advised to heed or disregard them at your own risk.

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