a fiber free , fast breathing tear strip for a gas sterilizable package which comprises a sandwich of a gas permeable membrane impervious to bacteria , and a perforated , or slit plastic sheet . the sandwich is peelably sealed around the access opening of a bag . one seam of the tear strip can be made non - peelable so that the tear strip becomes non - detachable . particular embodiments of gas sterilizable packages which utilize the invented tear strip are disclosed .