Patent ID: 7645458
Filing Date: 2010-01-12
Classification: A23L,A61L

Abstract:
1. A method effective to protect one or more properties of a biological material or device containing said biological material during the process of sterilization which comprises: a) packaging the biological material; b) providing a protective atmosphere within the package, wherein providing a protective atmosphere within the package of the packaged biological material is carried out by: removing an original atmosphere under vacuum and replacing the original atmosphere, wherein removing and replacing is done by evacuating and backfilling the original atmosphere in the package, flushing the original atmosphere in the package, or substituting the original atmosphere in the package, and wherein replacing the original atmosphere is done with a protective atmosphere comprising a reducing atmosphere or a mixture of an inert atmosphere and a reducing atmosphere, wherein the mixture of an inert atmosphere and a reducing atmosphere contains about 0.5 to about 99% by volume reducing atmosphere; c) sterilizing the packaged biological material or device containing said biological material in the presence of said protective atmosphere to reduce and/or inactivate an adventitious agent or adventitious agents.