What is the purpose of a chemical indicator in a sterilized package?

The purpose of a chemical indicator in a sterilized package is to confirm that the package was exposed to the sterilization process. These indicators change color or display a specific visual change when the conditions necessary for sterilization—such as temperature and time—are met. This helps healthcare professionals ensure that the items inside the package have been processed properly and that the sterilization environment was effective.

While other factors like eliminating living flora and ensuring the package remains sterile are important, those elements are generally confirmed through different methods. For instance, biological indicators are used to verify the elimination of microorganisms and ensure sterility more definitively. Furthermore, indicators do not specifically show that moisture did not enter the package, which is an unrelated concern, as moisture can impact the effectiveness of certain sterilization methods but is not a role of the chemical indicator itself.