Patent ID: 8092757

Claim:
A sterilization method, for sterilizing a plastic preform intended to be molded, especially by blow molding, in an installation ( 10 , 10 ′) producing sterile bottles ( 14 ), which method is characterized in that it comprises at least the steps consisting, in succession: (a) in checking that the preform ( 12 ) is at a temperature (T 1 ) below the temperature (Tc) of condensation of the sterilizing agent; (b) in spraying a flow (F) of sterilizing agent in the form of a vapor jet onto the preform ( 12 ) so as to cause a substantially uniform film of a mist ( 52 ) of the sterilizing agent to be deposited by condensing on at least one internal wall ( 15 ) of the preform to be sterilized; and (c) in radiatively heating the preform ( 12 ) thus treated in order to bring it to a temperature (T 2 ) equal to or above the temperature (Ta) for activating the sterilizing agent so as to sterilize at least the internal wall ( 15 ) of the preform.