Sterility is required for medical devices use in invasive medical procedures, and for some situations in the food industry. Sterilization of heat- sensitive or porous materials or devices, such as endoscopes, porous implants, liquid foodstuff, and liquid medicine, poses a challenge to current technologies. There has been a steady interest in using high-pressure carbon dioxide as a process medium for new sterilization technology. Among the potential advantages are that CO2 may sterilize at low temperatures.
