The cartridges I have are individually packaged and sealed. On the back of the package, there is two color indicators. One says, "initial pink, turns yellow" with a designation "EO" which I assume means ethylene oxide (common sterilization method for medical use). This one is still pink. The other says, "initial blue, turns black" with designation "steam" and is black.
As I understand it, to sterilize via steam, the vials, stoppers, and rubber plug would have to be exposed to the steam and therefore cannot be sterilized in the assembled configuration.
Thoughts?