Virox™ Sanitzer

[Dave Savoie]

Virox™ Sanitzer

Virox™ Broad-Spectrum Cleaner No Rinse Sanitizer   
A superior Broad-Spectrum Cleaner and Sanitizer, acceptable for use in the food preparation and food processing industries in Canada. Superior Cleaning / Oxidizing Power, Broad-Spectrum Sanitizer, No Rinse Required when Sanitizing on Environmental Surfaces, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Letter of No Objection, All Chemical Ingredients Listed on EPA Inert or FDA GRAS Listings, Leaves No Active Ingredient Residuals, VOC Free, Not Manufactured Using APE's/NPE's, Excellent Health & Safety, Non-Irritating to Eyes or Skin.

 Hydrogen Peroxide
    Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) is an excellent sanitiser. It is anti-bacterial and anti-microbiological, and is used in many medical and industrial applications as a sanitiser and steriliser. Hydrogen Peroxide breaks down into oxygen and water over a fairly short period of time. It uses the oxidising (burning) effect to kill biological contaminants. It is highly effective because bacteria and fungi cannot mutate and form resistance to it.

Hydrogen Peroxide is particularly good for brewing as (in diluted form) it does not attack plastics or metals, it leaves no residue, and it breaks down quickly into harmless water and oxygen, requiring no rinsing. It can be used as a soaker or spray sanitiser, and it can even be added directly to sanitise brewing water (at a rate of 0.0015% to 0.005%). As a sanitiser it is generally used at concentrations of 0.015% to 0.5%. At 2.0% to 3.0% it is classed as a disinfectant, and is often used to treat cuts (be warned, it stings like hell). 5% is the concentration found in hair bleach. At concentrations over 10% it becomes extremely hazardous to handle, it will bleach and burn skin and cause serious damage to eyes and soft tissue.

Hydrogen Peroxide is the ingredient found in the newer brewing sanitiser products such as BrewShield and Morgan's Sanitize. These products generally contain around 3% H2O2 and suggest dilution to a final working concentration of around 0.1%.

If you are diluting it for storage, it is important to use distilled (or deionised) water as the impurities in tap water will cause it to react, venting oxygen and diminishing the potency of the remaining solution. It is also suggested to add one drop of phosphoric acid for each litre of water, to keep the pH below 4.0 – this helps to prolong the life of the solution. Store it cool and dark, away from sunlight and kiddies, and in a container with a special vented cap (it will be supplied in one), as Hydrogen Peroxide constantly degrades over time, producing oxygen gas and therefore pressure. However, the reaction is normally very slow and the concentrated product (and distilled/deionised solutions) should remain effective for many years if properly stored. The reaction is accelerated greatly by heat, contamination and ultraviolet light.

Solutions for immediate use can be made up with tap water, and the resulting solution should be good for several days, but it depends a lot on the purity of your tap water. For peace of mind make up a new solution each day or two, or always use distilled water and unused portions should keep indefinitely. If it is placed in a spray bottle, keep the trigger head top slightly loose, as the pressure caused will force the liquid out thru the nozzle and empty the container.

If you get bored with brewing, H2O2 can also be used as rocket fuel.

So im going to research this and I believe Gil's parents run a medical supply store

[Gil Breau]

I can order in Hydrogen Peroxide by the 500mL bottle. Same goes for Iodine if you wanna make your own iodophor like I mentioned in the other thread. 70% Isopropyl Alchohol as well for sterilizing small parts.

Price may not be that great though compared to the big Pharmacies that order it in by the pallet. I can still look into it and compare it to say Walmart online and see if it's worth it.

[Dave Savoie]

Davidsons Food Supply can get Virox

[Richard]

If you get bored with brewing, H2O2 can also be used as rocket fuel.

I find it hard to believe they'd let Joe Consumer own pure H2O2, but perhaps it's just the nanny state (UK) that I came from warping my perceptions of civil liberty.

Interesting about the sanitising water by a dilute solution... wonder if you can use the 3% stuff (which I use as mouthwash) diluted at a ratio of 1000:1 (0.003% -- between the 0.0015% to 0.005% range to "sanitise brewing water")

My understanding is that the reaction (which would happen completely and absolutely in impure water) produces oxygen and pure water as byproducts, essentially oxidising the crap out of anything it touches.

So I'm wondering if adding a quarter litre of the 3% solution to a wort post-cooling is going to help with infections *AND* add the necessary oxygen I need for a healthy start...

[Richard]

So I'm wondering if adding a quarter litre of the 3% solution to a wort post-cooling is going to help with infections *AND* add the necessary oxygen I need for a healthy start...

Short answer... hells no.

Longer answer:

• Oxidation (bolting oxygen to other molecules) is not Oxygenation (putting free oxygen into a solution).
• Any residual peroxide will nuke your yeast.
• Any residual peroxide is bad news if imbibed.

[Gil Breau]

As a sanitiser it is generally used at concentrations of 0.015% to 0.5%.

to get 0.0015% from common 3% H2O2, you'd dilute it into a 2000-1 ratio. 0.5% is 6 to 1.

Thats a huge dilution difference.

Either 3.8 L per 23L of water, or 11.5mL per 23L

Somehow, I don't think either broad range of the spectrum is feasible.

You sure there isn't an extra 0 in the 0.0015%?

Making a 0.015% ratio would be 115ml per 23L, which seems pretty decent.

The current retail price here is 3$ per 500mL that we sell H202. So you'd get about 4-5 keg sanitations per bottle, which would be in the same price range as the Iodophor recipe I mentioned.

Double check on the dilution levels though to make sure.


PS. Walmart sells it for about the same that I can buy it for direct. It's not a huge difference at a per bottle examination, but buying bulk, you'll see a difference in the long run.

I find it hard to believe they'd let Joe Consumer own pure H2O2, but perhaps it's just the nanny state (UK) that I came from warping my perceptions of civil liberty.

Best you'll find over the counter is 3%. No going to the moon here.

[Gil Breau]

http://www.safecross.com/products_detai ... CAN&ID=542

I can get it in 4L 3% form if you're interested.

[Dave Savoie]

here is the Virox MSDS

http://www.virox.com/msds/pdf/ViroxBroa ... -14-08.pdf

[Richard]

Gil: Don't add it direct to wort for the reasons given -- and yes I missed a zero out, it's clearly 1000:1 for 3% -> 0.003%.

If there were a way to be sure that the H2O2 had completely reacted out before adding the yeast, it might still be feasible, but I suspect you'd still pick up off-flavours from oxidisation rather than oxygenation.

[Gil Breau]

Gil: Don't add it direct to wort for the reasons given

I was thinking of leave-in sanitation, not wort addition

1000:1 ratio still seems a bit too thin though doesn't it for 3%? Or am I reading that wrong and you mean for pure H2O2or a higher concentration at least...the 0.015% dilution I mentioned is 1000:115, even 100:1 wouldn't be too bad I wouldn't figure.

[Gil Breau]

Hydrogen Peroxide is the ingredient found in the newer brewing sanitiser products such as BrewShield and Morgan's Sanitize. These products generally contain around 3% H2O2 and suggest dilution to a final working concentration of around 0.1%.

I should read throughly more often.

Diluting 3% H202 into 0.1% is a 30:1 ratio.

This means, for a 500ml spray bottle, you would add 17 mL of H2O2. This would make a no rinse wet contact solution that makes itself inert fast.




a 5 gallon or 23L leave-in solution of the same concentration to sterilize a carboy or keg would be 766mL. Which seems excessive. You can get away with 100ml and still use it as leave in, from the discussion above. The concentration rate would be less, but still within the original discussion's parameters.

So a 4 Gallon jug would last you a bit. Heck, a 500mL container for a few bucks would as well.


Edit:

I'll be taking home a bottle of Peroxide and Isopropyl and giving it a shot when I keg my beer tonight. Tried to keg last night but I had to dig out the driveway :/

[Dave Savoie]

Virox 5 Concentrate is

Concentrate 7% Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide leaves no active residual that may contribute to the development of resistant strains of microorganisms. Safer for users and occupants. DIN Registered.

[Gil Breau]

Whats the suggested dilution?

[Dave Savoie]

Cleaning with VIROX 5 at a dilution of 56mL of Virox to 4L of water offers the
added benefit of broad-spectrum activity in a short contact time. The cleaning
procedures in recommendation #2 should also be followed in order to prevent the
inadvertent spread of microorganisms.

[Gil Breau]

56 mL to 4000ml is a 0.014% ratio

at 7%, the solution is diluted to 0.098%

So roughly the same dilution concentration.