A sealable pouch for sterilizing instruments comprising a first sheet of pouch material sealed to a second sheet of pouch material along first and second parallel side edges, and a third perpendicular end edge, and along a central seal located between said first and second sealed side edges further sealing said first and second sheets and spaced from said third end edge, said central seal defining a fluid retaining portion and an instrument retaining portion separated at least in part from said fluid retaining portion, said central seal defining first and second steam/condensate slots providing a passage between said fluid retaining portion and said instrument retaining portion, each said steam/condensate slot being located between said first and second sealed sheets and on each side of said central seal, said sheets having a shield-fitting slot in said central seal, said slot being perpendicular to said first and second sheets, said shield-fitting slot being sealed from said fluid retaining and instrument retaining portions, and said slot permitting the pouch to be oriented within a container;
- and a temporary seal located in each said steam/condensate slot.