Sterilization Technologies Market Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Global Industry Analysis: By Type (Chemical & Gas Sterilization, Filtration Sterilization, Ionizing Radiation Sterilization, Thermal Sterilization), By Product (Heat Sterilizers, Low-Temperature Sterilizer, Sterile Membrane Filters, Radiation Sterilization Device), By End User (Pharmaceuticals, Food & Beverages, Agriculture, Cosmetic, Manufacturing, and Others), and Region Forecast 2020-2031

Sterilization Technologies Market size was valued at US$ 5,420 million in 2024 and is expected to reach US$ 8,460 million by 2031, growing at a significant CAGR of 6.4% from 2025-2031. Moreover, the U.S. Sterilization Technologies Market is projected to grow significantly, reaching an estimated value of US$ 2,580 million by 2031.

The market worldwide is transforming as an imperative pillar of infection control in the pharmaceutical, food processing, healthcare, and laboratory industries. With increasingly tighter focus on microbial control continuing to escalate, particularly in a post-pandemic environment, sterilization has transformed from a back-of-house compliance effort to an operational strategic necessity. Hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and diagnostic laboratories are all investing increasing amounts of money on newer technology that enhances efficiency, safety, and environmental responsibility. Low-temperature gas plasma systems to ethylene oxide and radiation options--sterilization is no longer a matter of killing disease organisms but of building solid supply chains, navigating regulatory hurdles, and building public health in the age of heightened world cleanliness consciousness.

The transition to more sustainable, automation-friendly sterilization methods is also redefining market forces. As healthcare infrastructure modernizes everywhere in the world, particularly in the emerging markets, there is tremendous demand for high-throughput, compact, and digitally enabled systems. Low-residue processes, reduced cycle time, and material compatibility are at the top of manufacturers' agendas as end-users seek enhanced workflow efficiency while safety remains unaffected.

Moreover, increased adoption of disposable medical devices and biopharmaceutical growth introduced fresh challenges, pushing beyond traditional steam sterilization. Sterilization now becomes a quality-assurance strategic differentiator while this market is not only growing—it's reframing safety, precision, and compliance definitions for today's clinical and industrial environments.

Key Developments:

• In June 2025, Solventum introduced the Attest™ Super Rapid VH?O? Clear Challenge Pack, combining chemical and biological indicators into one clear, ready-to-use sterilization test. This technology makes sterility assurance processes more streamlined, providing quicker and clearer results of sterilization effectiveness.
• In June 2025, Azenta Life Sciences introduced a new line of Electron-Beam (E-Beam) treated externally threaded tubes, offering sterile storage solutions tailored for sensitive lab environments and biorepositories—highlighting the growing intersection between sterilization and precision sample handling.
• In May 2025, Körber’s Software Pharma Open 2025 emphasized digital transformation in sterilization and production environments, showcasing how PAS-X MES systems are evolving through user-driven feedback to enhance compliance, efficiency, and real-time sterility assurance.
• In August 2024, PENTAX Medical, in partnership with ASP, received FDA clearance for its DEC™ Duodenoscope to be used with the STERRAD™ 100NX hydrogen peroxide gas plasma sterilizer—the first gastrointestinal endoscope globally approved for this method, reducing cross-contamination risks during reprocessing.

Sterilization Technologies Market Segmentation:

Based on the type:

• Chemical & Gas Sterilization
  • Ethylene Oxide
  • Formaldehyde
  • Others
• Filtration Sterilization
  • Liquid
  • Air & Gas
• Ionizing Radiation Sterilization
  • Gamma Radiation
  • Electron Beam Radiation
  • Others
• Thermal Sterilization
  • Autoclaving
  • Distillation
  • Pasteurization
  • Retorting
  • Others

Ethylene Oxide (EtO) sterilization is still a popular means of sterilization, particularly in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors, because it has penetration ability and is like heat- and moisture-sensitive equipment. Even with a growing number of regulatory controls, EtO is heavily used on complicated medical devices with complicated lumens, electronics, and plastic materials incompatible with thermal or radiation-based sterilization. Its established effectiveness in sterilizing bacteria, viruses, and spores without compromising the integrity of the device makes it a mainstay in contract and high-volume hospital sterilizing plants. With ongoing advancements in emission reduction and aeration efficiency by producers, EtO remains steadfast where absolute precision sterilization and material integrity must not be compromised for the purpose of product purity and regulation.

Based on the product:

• Heat Sterilizers
  • De pyrogenation Oven
  • Steam Autoclaves
• Low-Temperature Sterilizers
  • Ethylene Oxide Sterilizers
  • Hydrogen Peroxide Sterilizers
  • Others
• Sterile Membrane Filters
• Radiation Sterilization Devices
  • Electron Beams
  • Gamma Rays
  • Others

Hydrogen peroxide sterilizers are picking up quick market momentum because of their green image, fast cycle times, and suitability for next-generation medical devices. The systems run at low temperatures; thus, they are perfect for sterilizing heat-sensitive items like endoscopes, plastic-type instruments, and optical instruments. The technology's residue-free result and minimal environmental impact attract hospitals that want to balance infection control with going green. As increasing demand for safer ethylene oxide substitutes continues, hydrogen peroxide sterilizers represent a successful blend of performance, operator safety, and expandability. Also, digital monitoring and cycle validation capabilities have set these systems as the standard in high-throughput operating suites and laboratories needing performance as well as regulatory compliance.

Based on the end user:

• Pharmaceuticals
• Medical Devices
• Food & Beverage
• Agriculture
• Cosmetic
• Manufacturing
• Others

Medical device business is amongst the most demanding and consistent users of sterilization technology due to stringent global regulations and demand for ready-to-use, sterilized products. From catheters, implants, and surgical kits to any other device, each needs sterilization technology that can remove microbes without affecting the material performance. Multiformity and complexity of materials used—plastics, metals, electronics—mean that companies are reliant to a significant degree on a mixture of EtO, low-temperature sterilization, and gamma radiation. Organizationally enforced regulation by entities such as the FDA and ISO has led to sterilization validation becoming part and parcel of production. With increased demand for minimally invasive devices, material-specific, scalable, and accurate sterilization solutions also become in demand.