Standards for Sterilizing

Sterilization is a process in which items are placed under substantial levels of heat in order to get rid of bacteria and other microorganisms which may thrive within the object. This cleansing method can be dangerous and intricate, but its effects can only be fully achieved by following a set of standards. These standards ensure that nothing may infect the object in question.

Significance

• Food, liquids and medicine have a delicate longevity. They easily spoil or rot if they are unnecessarily exposed to air, as they quickly acquire bacteria and other agents that feed on their freshness. Some bacteria also thrive inside containers, and they can only be eliminated by means of extreme heat. Sterilization thus serves this purpose, and hence enables the aforementioned substances to be stored for longer periods of time without the risk of spoilage.

General Rules

• Sterilization standards follow a set of guidelines to ensure the safety and freshness of the contained products. The process of sterilizing containers and instruments begins with thorough cleaning to get rid of visible dirt and residue, as well as other entities, which could be washed away easily. Regardless of the sterilizing method, the process should be conducted in room temperature, as this allows minimal exposure to potential airborne bacteria. Once the sterilization process is finished, items should be properly packaged, labeled and stored at specific temperatures to maintain their freshness.

Types

• The most popular method is the saturated steam procedure. Other methods include flash sterilization and low-temperature processes, such as ethylene oxide, hydrogen peroxide gas plasma, peracetic acid and ozone sterilizations. Saturated steam sterilization is used for porous and non-porous containers and instruments, while low-temperature methods are used for more delicate instruments that are used in handling medicine, or intended for surgical use.

Benefits

• Sterilization standards ensure the goodness and freshness of the substances to be placed in containers, and at the same time they allow special instruments to be used without the risk of potential complications. Surgical tools used in medical practice may provide more health dangers if not properly sterilized, and these may lead to the onset of severe infections and even terminal diseases such as AIDS. Meanwhile, containers that have not been properly sterilized pose increased risk to decontamination and eventual rotting of the products stored inside them.

Warnings

• When conducting sterilization procedures, be sure to take safety measures to avoid accidents and mishaps which can be both detrimental to your health and your items. Also, follow the . N; not providing the prescribed amounts of heat and substance solutions--such as peactic acid and hydrogen peroxide--may destroy the items due to extreme conditions.