Industrial verification of egg handling for meal preparation: a case study of professional engagement with application of remote design thinking during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic generated impacts on all segments of society, including the food industry, which had to adapt to the reality of greater demand and increased costs. During the pandemic period, the new Brazilian legislation on microbiological food standards came into force, demanding documentary evidence of the adequacy of production processes and food safety. Every day, the need for international cooperation, local actions and agile working methods becomes more evident. The objective of this work was to engage professionals remotely to verify a new egg handling process in a food industry, where powdered eggs were replaced by the in natura form during the pandemic. A process description was developed with a flowchart and microbiological sampling plan to verify the process, using the design thinking method, conducted by videoconference by professionals from four microbiology laboratories together with professors, researchers and industry technicians. The analysis results proved the microbiological adequacy of the egg handling process. The method of remote decision-making by design thinking and the engagement of different laboratories and professionals intends to subsidise other food and food service industries, making it possible to structure the monitoring and verification of food processes, in an agile and economical way.