To provide an inexpensive sterilization method (including sterilization, preservation and transportation) capable of sufficiently sterilizing medical instruments and foods, especially vegetables, fresh fishes and prime meat, maintaining sterilization effect without spoiling palate feeling and giving little bad effect to human health.

This sterilization method is to sterilize medical instruments and foods with an aqueous sterilization solution containing ≥10 ppm hypochlorous acid as an effective chlorine concentration subsequently package them with a packaging material containing 0.1-20 wt.% inorganic antimicrobial agent containing at least one species selected from metal ions consisting of Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn and preserve and/or transport them. The medical instruments, foods, especially vegetables fresh fishes and prime meat are sufficiently sterilized and the inexpensive sterilization method is provided.