I bought some Starsan to sanitize my cheesemaking equipment. The info I’ve read about it says you don’t need to rinse it off after immersion or spraying but I do anyway. My thinking is that anything that acidic might affect the pH of the milk and curd. Anyone have any comments on the subject?

no matter how “Benin”  something is its still chemistry and might add a taste, I would wash everything well.

Absolutely rinse it. Everything that is made to kill unwanted bacteria might leave a residue that can kill wanted bacteria as well…

I use starsan as well. I rinse my pot after I sanitize it. However, I do keep a pitcher of water with some sanitizer it on the counter and I put my stirring spoon and curd knife it it. That way I don’t lay my equipment back on the counter, I just drop it in the sanitizer. I thought I was keeping my spoon clean. I’ve never even thought about that. I do one thing to the pot and another to the spoon.

I’m going to change my spoon habits now. I will sanitize them, but them keep them in a pitcher of water, not sanitizer.

When making beer everyone says to leave the starsan bubbles in the pot after you dump it out, and it does not seem to affect the beer. I do no want anything in the pot to flavor the cheese so I rinse out the pot after I sanitize it. Starsan has a lemony flavor to it, and I don’t want that in my cheese.

I’ve been rinsing since I first posted, but I still have concerns about bacteria in the water contaminating my freshly sanitized tools. So I’m still not sure which is the best approach. For my ladle and curd knife, I’ve been sanitizing a large glass measuring cup to stand the ladle in, and also sanitize a tray with starsan spray so I have a clean surface for the knife and other tools. I have a granite countertop and the acetic starsan will deteriorate the sealer used to protect it, so I never sterize that.

If you’re concerned about bacteria in the water you store your utensils in, use pre-boiled water.