The present application discloses a separating element for a sterilization screen pack for sterilizing medical instruments. The separating element has two lateral wall portions and a central wall portion lying in between. It is formed as substantially flat, and the central wall portion is perforated with a multiplicity of openings. One lateral wall portion or both lateral wall portions has/have a slit-shaped clearance, and so the lateral region of this lateral wall portion that is separated by the slit-shaped clearance is formed as a spring-elastic portion that has a number of lateral projections. If only one lateral wall portion is formed in this way, then the other lateral wall portion has a number of projections that extend at least partially in the lateral direction and at least partially in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the extent of the central wall portion.
