What can prove an item's sterility?

Internal indicators are designed to provide a measure of whether the sterilization process was successful. These indicators are incorporated into sterilization packaging and change color or appearance in response to specific sterilization conditions, such as temperature and pressure. By indicating whether the appropriate conditions were met during the sterilization cycle, internal indicators serve as a reliable source of evidence for the sterility of items.

Reliance on visual inspection alone does not confirm sterility, as visual assessment cannot detect the effectiveness of the sterilization process. Similarly, an operator's confirmation may lack the scientific validation needed, as it can be subjective and not based on measurable indicators. External packaging alone cannot assure sterility since it only protects the contents but does not verify that the items within were successfully sterilized before being sealed.