Ok, I want to pick some brains on this one as my background is not in biology.
We produce 2 salts in crystal and occasionally in solution, ammonium chloride and ammonium sulfate. These are used in pharma and food applications, one of which is also used in feed applications.The aW of our product is way out of the danger zone for pathogens. I understand that only means pathogens won't flourish in the product. Based on this we also treat our packaging room as a sanitary zone, making sure to keep the spout covered with a bag at all times, keep the doors closed when not in use, and enforce heightened GMP's (bagger who handles open bag wears disposable gloves, no food/drink in this area whatsoever) on top of the standard hand washing, and other relevant GMP's.
We do not wear hairnets/beard nets in this area, nor do we perform any type of EM. These were both discussed as options in our original hazard analysis but shot down as being well outside the risk level required to implement.
What I'd like is some stronger proof that the risk is this low. Is there perhaps testing we could run on the product to show it kills pathogens, doesn't just inhibit their growth? Is there any information I'm missing that I could use as validation?
I'm not expecting the world and we're in a pretty good place with our hazard analysis as it is, I'd just like a little more oomph on that one if possible.