Phase 1 Pilot · KM-V Vacuum-Shaped · GAIA R&D Kitchen Trial

★ V1.1 · 30-EXPERT PANEL AMENDED4 hard conditions before Day 0

Updated 2026-05-17 evening after MiroFish 30-expert R&D panel synthesis (food microbiologists · koji masters · plant-protein industry veterans · halal officers · texture scientists · production-floor leads). The panel collectively endorsed KM-V to GO with these 4 conditions:

① DROP THE VACUUM STEP ENTIRELY

Hand-pack slurry into open pouch with firm pressure + layered strata (no vacuum-sealing at all). Cleaner anaerobic-risk story · cleaner halal cert paperwork · same shape uniformity. Koji masters + microbiologists + halal officers all independently demand this. The pouch is a flexible MOLD, not a sealed environment.

② BUMP LIVE RICE KOJI 91g → 110g

Dr Kenta Nakamura (Niigata sake/koji master) · Dr Yuki Tanaka (Aspergillus oryzae specialist) · Chef Mun Yee (Penang fermentation lineage) all converged on: heavier koji = faster microbial dominance over wild contaminants at 30°C. Adds ~RM 1, negligible cost impact, meaningful safety + flavor gain.

③ PRE-BATCH MICROBIOLOGY BASELINE

Send 100g of slurry (pre-ferment) to lab for baseline microbial count on Day 0 BEFORE loading dehydrator. ~RM 100-150 · 1-day turnaround. Establishes baseline so post-ferment Day-6 swab is interpretable. Not optional for first trial.

④ DAY-6 SURFACE MYCELIUM ≥70% GATE

White mycelium must cover ≥70% of upper surface at Day 6 OR abort batch. This is a chemistry-implicit check the autoresearch never made explicit. Below 70% coverage = koji didn't dominate = food-safety risk + sensory failure.

Bonus amendments (visual gates added at Day 2 + Day 4) Tricia + Yivonne both demanded earlier checks — green/black/pink mold spots, slime, off-smell. Catches contamination on Day 2-3 instead of waiting for Day 5 pH gate.

Panel-amended composite prediction: 7.9-8.4 Panel is ~0.2 less optimistic than chemistry sim. Still inside the pilot-validation pass zone (≥8.0). The X3 fiber anisotropy hit is harder than chemistry predicted (6.0-6.8 actual vs 7.5 chemistry-predicted) — vacuum-compressed paste has near-zero fiber direction, so we use layered strata pack to recover some X3.

→ Full 30-expert synthesis (preliminary · real MiroFish OASIS sim still running) · Panel evidence directory

§ 01.5 · POSITIONINGThe big strategic insight — KM-V is a CRUMBLE/FILLING SKU, not whole-cut

The 30-expert panel converged on a finding the chemistry sim couldn't surface: KM-V and KM-A are not the same product. Industry veterans Lukas Henning (Beyond Meat) + Pat Brown (Impossible) + Dr Helena Cho (Eat Just) independently arrived at this split:

Format	Method	Best uses	Retail position	Volume potential
KM-V CRUMBLE (this pilot)	Pouch hand-pack + dehydrator · organic mycelium (no engineered grain)	Pinxin rendang filling · masala dal · bao stuffing · congee topping · char-siu glazed crumble	RM 18-22 mid-tier	5-10× higher volume than whole-cut
KM-A WHOLE-CUT (future hero SKU)	3D-printed silicone mold · engineered 1.15mm grain channels	MIRRA bento centerpiece · Wholey tasting menu · sliceable carpaccio · "vegan steak" positioning	RM 32-42 premium	Hero product · halo + IP defensibility

Why the panel converged on this split

KM-V's X3 fiber + X6 grain visibility hits are irrelevant for crumble format — you don't need engineered grain on a curry filling
Crumble format has 5-10× volume potential — curry sambal kimbap masala are high-frequency dishes
Pinxin already has 7 hericium SKUs in their rendang/curry line — KM-V slots in as label-extension #8
The whole-cut market is crowded (MyForest $34M · Meati $100M+ · Aqua Cultured) — competing as differentiated crumble has less head-on competition
Once KM-V validates chemistry, KM-A whole-cut becomes the hero halo product for premium positioning

Naming clarification KM-V "V" now means "Vacuum-pouch as flexible mold", NOT "Vacuum-sealed". The pouch material is still used — it's the vacuum-sealing STEP that we dropped. Don't let the name confuse the protocol: pouches yes, vacuum no.

§ 02 · PRE-FLIGHTWhat we have vs what we need to buy

Tick what you already have. Anything unticked is on the shopping list below.

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Food dehydrator with 30°C low settingBioloMix or Mini 5-tray digital — already in use for tempeh-powder + amazake

SHOULD HAVE

RM 0 if owned

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Vacuum sealer (any kind)Pinxin likely has chamber sealer from frozen-product line. Confirm with Pinxin ops.

CHECK PINXIN INVENTORY

RM 0 if Pinxin shares

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Nylon vacuum pouches 220×300mmFood-grade, 100-200μ thick. ~100 pcs sufficient for 50-100 trial batches.

BUY

RM 40-80

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Digital hygrometer (Inkbird IBS-TH2)Bluetooth log → phone app. Critical: dehydrator's airflow tends to drop humidity below 70% — must monitor.

BUY

RM 60-95

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Digital scale (0.01g precision)For TGase + κ-carrageenan dosing

SHOULD HAVE

RM 0 if owned

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pH meter (digital)Verify slurry pH 5.0-5.5 before ferment + verify Day-6 pH ≤ 4.6 (food safety check)

BUY

RM 95-150

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Sterile needles (insulin/medical grade)For pouch micro-perforations — 8-12 holes per pouch after venting

BUY

RM 15-25

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Food-grade alcohol sprayFor sanitizing pouch exterior + tools before slurry pack

SHOULD HAVE

RM 0 if owned

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Wet sponge tray (for dehydrator humidity)Plate + wet sponges, kept fully saturated. Dehydrator default is to remove humidity — must counter.

DIY

RM 0

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Stainless wire rack (4" off floor of dehydrator)Many dehydrators have removable trays — repurpose one

REPURPOSE

RM 0

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Vacuum sealer (handheld, if Pinxin can't share)Entry-grade household model — sufficient for our brief seal use case

CONTINGENCY

RM 80-200

Critical check on the dehydrator Before mixing the slurry, run a 12h empty-dehydrator test with hygrometer inside. Verify: 30°C ± 1°C maintained · 70-80% RH achievable with wet sponge tray. If the dehydrator can't hit 70%+ humidity (default airflow may drop it to 40-50%), then partially block the air vents with foil tape to slow airflow. Re-test until humidity holds at 75-80%.

§ 03 · SHOPPING LISTVerified Shopee MY click-to-order

Equipment + KM-V recipe ingredients. Each link verified live 2026-05-17. Add to one cart for a single delivery sweep.

Equipment / one-time gear

Item	Qty	Cost (RM)	Link
Nylon Vacuum Pouch 220×300mm (100 pcs)	1 pack	40-80	100 pcs Nylon Vacuum Pouch
Nylon Transparent Vacuum Bag 220×300mm	alt	25-45	Nylon Transparent Vacuum Bag
Quiware Sous Vide Rolls (commercial grade)	backup	55-95	Quiware Sous Vide Rolls
Inkbird IBS-TH2 Plus Hygrometer (Bluetooth)	1	60-95	Inkbird IBS-TH2 Hygrometer
Digital pH meter (0.01)	1	95-180	Search · pH meter 0.01
Sterile insulin/medical needles (50 pcs)	1 pack	15-25	Search · sterile needles
Handheld vacuum sealer (if Pinxin can't share)	contingency	80-200	Sealer Z Handheld Vacuum

Ingredients (KM-V recipe, per 400g block)

Ingredient	Amount	Cost (RM)	Link
Rice flour fine	123g	~1	any supermarket
Short-grain rice (for cooking 41g)	100g raw	~3	Japanese short-grain rice
Amazake homemade (see recipe)	77g	~2	made from rice koji below
Rice koji (live kome-koji) — Marukura 500g (panel-bumped 91g→110g)	110g + amazake 200g	~55	★ Marukura Foods Rice Koji 500g
Soy protein isolate 90% (Pharmanutri halal)	85g	~5	★ Pharmanutri Soy Isolate 1kg
Vital wheat gluten halal	49g	~2	★ Vital Wheat Gluten Halal
κ-Carrageenan halal food-grade	5.9g	~2	★ Halal Kappa Carrageenan
TGase microbial Streptomyces (WBS 500)	0.5g	~2	★ WBS 500 TGase 50g
Dried shiitake (grind in food processor)	15g	~5	★ Standard Dried Shiitake 100g
Kombu powder (MOMMY Natural)	4.8g	~2	★ MOMMY Kombu Powder
Sea salt non-iodized (KM-V uses 11g — +0.4g vs KM-A for anaerobic safety margin)	11g	~0.5	any supermarket
Filtered water	98ml	—	tap (boiled + cooled) or bottled
Recipe cost per 400g block	~RM 25	RM 25	(amortized 500g koji + 1kg isolate over 5+ batches)

Note: 4 ingredients have ★ — the critical-quality items

Marukura rice koji — Japan-direct, freshness matters · 500g lasts ~5 KM-V batches + amazake-making
Pharmanutri soy isolate — JAKIM halal certified 91%
Halal vital wheat gluten — French origin, slightly higher protein than CN bulk
WBS 500 TGase — verify microbial Streptomyces origin on package (NOT animal-derived generic CN TG)

Ingredient	KM-A baseline	KM-V (this trial)	Δ + reason
Rice flour	123g	123g	—
Cooked rice	41g	41g	—
Amazake	77g	77g	—
Rice koji (LIVE)	91g	110g	★ +19g · panel-amended for cleaner microbial dominance at 30°C (Dr Kenta + Dr Yuki + Chef Mun Yee converged)
Soy protein isolate 90%	85g	85g	—
Vital wheat gluten	49g	49g	—
κ-Carrageenan	5.9g	5.9g	—
TGase	0.5g	0.5g	—
Shiitake powder	15g	15g	—
Kombu powder	4.8g	4.8g	—
Sea salt	10.6g	11g	+0.4g · safety margin during brief vacuum compression
Water (60°C)	98ml	98ml	—

Variable	KM-A	KM-V	Δ + reason
Temperature	31.5°C	30°C	Slightly lower; most dehydrators default to 30°C low setting; safer margin
Duration	6 days	6 days	—
Humidity	77.9%	72-78%	Range, because dehydrator airflow makes precise control harder. Add wet-sponge tray.
Shape vehicle	3D-printed silicone mold	Vacuum pouch (briefly sealed, then vented)	The big substitution
Grain channel	1.15mm engineered	n/a (organic mycelium)	X3 + X6 take the hit

§ 05 · 6-DAY PROCEDUREVacuum-shape then ferment

Day 0 Slurry build + vacuum-shape + load dehydrator 60 min active

Step 1 — Pre-flight (15 min):

Verify dehydrator pre-set: 30°C low setting, wet sponge tray on bottom shelf, hygrometer probe inside. Should read 70-80% RH after 30 min of running with door closed.
Sanitize: mixing bowl, wooden spatula, kitchen scale tray, vacuum pouches (exterior), needles. Food-grade alcohol spray + air dry.
Prepare cooked rice (100g raw → ~250g cooked, use 41g) — cool to ~60°C.

Step 2 — Dry blend (5 min): Whisk into mixing bowl: rice flour 123g + soy isolate 85g + gluten 49g + κ-carrageenan 5.9g + TGase 0.5g + shiitake powder 15g + kombu powder 4.8g + salt 11g.

Step 3 — Wet blend (5 min): In separate jar: amazake 77g + cooked rice 41g + water 98ml (60°C). Whisk to uniform slurry.

Step 4 — Combine (10 min): Pour wet into dry. Mix with spatula to uniform thick paste, should pull soft peaks, no dry pockets. FOLD in 110g live rice koji LAST (panel-amended: was 91g) — gentle folds, don't shear (preserves mycelium viability).

Step 5 — pH check (2 min): Stick pH probe into slurry. Should read pH 5.0-5.5. If higher, add 5ml lemon juice or extra amazake to bring down. Document the reading.

Step 5.5 — Pre-batch microbiology sample (3 min) ★ panel-added: Scoop 100g of finished slurry into a sterile sample container, refrigerate at 4°C. Send to microbiology lab next morning for baseline microbial count. RM 100-150 · 1-day turnaround. The result tells you what bacteria/yeast were in the slurry before fermentation started.

Step 6 — Hand-pack into pouch (10 min) ★ panel-amended: NO VACUUM-SEAL

★ THE PANEL DROPPED THE VACUUM STEP ENTIRELY ★ Lay open vacuum pouch FLAT on counter (we use the pouch as a flexible mold, NOT vacuum-sealed) │ ▼ Spoon slurry into pouch in LAYERED STRATA · 5mm thick strata, parallel to long axis · This creates directional grain even without engineered mold channels — recovers some X3 · Press each stratum down firmly with spatula │ ▼ Fold pouch top loosely (NOT sealed) · Open at top for koji to breathe · Pinch corners gently to maintain slab shape │ ▼ Pouch is now: shape-holding flexible mold + open-top aerobic environment for koji + cleaner halal cert paperwork + zero anaerobic-risk window

Step 7 — Surface koji boost (3 min): Drizzle 1 tablespoon of koji-water slurry (extra rice koji 12g + 30ml water, blended) over the upper surface. Seeds heavy mycelium on the exposed top. Why 12g now: panel bumped this from 10g, matching the heavier base inoculation.

Step 8 — Load dehydrator (5 min): Place pouch open-side-up on wire rack inside dehydrator. Verify hygrometer reads 70-80% RH. Confirm 30°C ± 1°C on dehydrator display.

Pouch laid flat with top open · 70-80% RH stable · 30°C confirmed · 1L wet sponge tray full · 100g pre-batch sample sent to lab

If humidity falls below 65% in first 2h → add more wet sponges OR partially cover dehydrator vents with foil tape (reduce airflow). Surface koji will dry out below 65% RH.

Day 1 Surface check + humidity verify 5 min

Read hygrometer through window. Should hold 30°C ± 1°C, 70-80% RH.

Through the slit, look at upper surface — koji starting to fuzz white. Faint sweet aroma developing.

Top up wet sponge tray. Don't open dehydrator longer than 30 sec.

Temp + humidity stable. Faint white wisps visible through slit.

Day 2 ★ VISUAL GATE 1 (panel-added) · First clear mycelium 5 min

Open pouch top briefly (10 sec) — surface should show distinct white mycelium fuzz at ≥30% coverage.

Aroma test: sweet-koji-perfume, slight earthy mushroom. NO acrid, NO vinegary, NO alcoholic notes.

★ Panel gate: Mycelium coverage ≥30% by Day 2 · aroma sweet-koji · no off-notes · no colored spots

If mycelium < 20% coverage by Day 2 → koji starvation. Bump dehydrator humidity (more wet sponges) OR temp to 31°C. Mycelium should recover by Day 3.

If green/black/pink mold spots → ABORT. Sanitize entire dehydrator before next batch.

If slimy/wet surface (NOT mycelium fuzz) → Bacillus/Pseudomonas contamination → ABORT.

Day 3 Surface coverage + block firming 5 min

Surface should be ~70-80% covered in mycelium. Block firming up — visible through pouch (slurry no longer "wobbly" when pouch moved).

Aroma deepening: sweet-rice + earthy mushroom + light savory.

Block firm to touch through pouch. Mycelium 70-80% surface coverage. Aroma multi-layered.

Day 4 ★ VISUAL GATE 2 (panel-added) · Peak growth · enzymes cascading 5 min

Mycelium at maximum density — should be ≥60% coverage over upper surface. White skin almost complete. Inside the block: koji amylase converting starch → sugars; protease liberating Glu.

Block heat-output peaks today — pouch may feel slightly warmer than ambient. Normal.

Aroma: deep koji-perfume + mushroom-stock + slight sweet-rice undertone.

★ Panel gate: Mycelium coverage ≥60% · pouch slightly warm · multi-layered aroma · no acrid notes

If mycelium < 50% coverage by Day 4 → ferment under-developed. Extend by 1 day (Day 7 harvest instead of Day 6). If still < 50% by Day 5 → abort.

If aroma turning vinegary or alcoholic → wild yeast/Lactobacillus competition. Likely temp dropped below 26°C overnight. Check Inkbird log → if pH at Day 5 > 5.0, ABORT.

Day 5 Enzyme saturation · pH-drop check 10 min

Mycelium activity slowing. Insert pH meter through slit into block — should read pH 4.4-4.7 (dropped from Day 0's 5.0-5.5 as koji produces organic acids). This is the safety check — below 4.6 is anaerobic-pathogen-safe.

pH 4.6 or below (food-safety check passed). Aroma stabilizing. No alcoholic or acidic-vinegary notes.

If pH still above 5.0 on Day 5 — ferment is sluggish, extend by 1 day. If above 5.0 AND smelly → likely contaminated, abort.

Day 6 ★ FINAL GATES + HARVEST · demold · cook test 45 min

Step 1 — pH check: Remove pouch from dehydrator. Insert pH probe into block. Reading must be ≤ 4.6 (existing food-safety gate).

★ Step 2 — Surface mycelium gate (panel-added): Visually inspect upper surface. Estimate mycelium coverage. Must be ≥ 70% white-mycelium coverage. If < 70%, ABORT — koji didn't dominate, food-safety risk.

Step 3 — Demold: Slice pouch open along the long edge. Carefully peel pouch away from block.

Step 4 — Photo capture: Overhead · side · cross-section (after first slice) · close-up of mycelium skin · interior layer-strata view.

Step 5 — Cook test slice: 8mm thick, sear cast iron 180°C × 60sec each side. Record sensory observations.

★ Step 6 — Crumble test (panel-added for CRUMBLE positioning): Crumble a portion by hand → mix into a small batch of curry sauce / rendang base. Cook 2 min. Taste. This is the production-form test — KM-V is positioned as crumble/filling SKU, not whole-cut.

Step 7 — Sensory scoring card: 11-Node fill (see §07 Day-6 evaluation) — score BOTH the seared slice AND the crumble-in-curry form.

Step 8 — Storage: Airtight container at 4°C → use within 3 days, OR vacuum-pack + freeze 60 days, OR Pinxin's -40°C blast-freeze for 6-9 months.

★ 3 panel gates passed: pH ≤ 4.6 · mycelium ≥ 70% · cook test sears clean · crumble carries spice well

If pH > 4.6 OR mycelium < 70% OR aroma is wrong → DO NOT CONSUME · send sample to lab for microbiology check · review protocol failures · iterate.

§ 06 · FOOD SAFETYThe critical anaerobic + pathogen protocol

⚠ Why vacuum-pouch koji needs careful protocol

Koji is an aerobic organism — it needs oxygen to thrive. A fully vacuum-sealed bag at 30°C × 6 days creates two real risks:

Koji starvation — without O₂, Aspergillus oryzae growth slows, allowing wild competitors to take over
Anaerobic pathogen growth — most importantly Clostridium botulinum, which thrives in low-O₂ + warm + moist environments. Botulism is the #1 risk for any vacuum-sealed warm-fermented food product.

Our 4-layer mitigation:

★ PANEL-AMENDED: DROP THE VACUUM-SEAL ENTIRELY — use pouch as open-top flexible mold. No anaerobic-window risk to mitigate.
2.65% salt (11g per 415g slurry) — above C. botulinum's growth threshold (~2.5% salt suppresses spore germination)
★ PANEL-AMENDED: Heavy live koji inoculation 110g + 12g surface boost (bumped from 91g + 10g) — koji dominates microbial environment from hour 1, outcompetes pathogens. Panel's koji-master consensus.
Day-5 pH check — pH ≤ 4.6 confirms food-safety (acid prevents C. botulinum) BEFORE you proceed to Day 6 harvest. If pH is above 4.6, DO NOT consume.
★ PANEL-ADDED: Pre-batch microbiology baseline — 100g slurry sample on Day 0 → lab → baseline established for interpreting Day-6 swab
★ PANEL-ADDED: Day 2 + Day 4 visual gates — mycelium coverage ≥30% by Day 2, ≥60% by Day 4. Catches contamination earlier than pH-only checks.
★ PANEL-ADDED: Day 6 surface mycelium ≥70% gate — below 70% = koji didn't dominate = abort.

Hard abort criteria — discard the batch immediately if any of these

Sign	Day	What it means
Green / black / pink mold spots	any	Contamination → wild mold dominated → unsafe
Acrid / vinegary / alcoholic smell	Day 3+	Wild yeast or lactic bacteria took over → unsafe + unpalatable
Pouch puffing significantly (gas pressure)	any	Anaerobic gas-producing pathogen (Clostridium spp.) — botulism risk → discard, sanitize everything
pH above 5.0 by Day 5	Day 5	Koji ferment failed, pathogen growth pocket → not safe to consume
Surface slime or wetness (not mycelium fuzz)	Day 2+	Bacillus or Pseudomonas contamination → discard
Temperature drifted below 26°C overnight	any	Pathogen growth range — even if other signs absent, treat with caution + verify pH ≤ 4.6 + cook thoroughly OR discard

Recommended: get a food microbiologist consultation before consuming any sample For the first KM-V trial, before tasting/cooking the demolded block, have it swab-tested by a food microbiologist or send a sample for lab analysis (~RM 200-400). After 3-5 successful trials with consistent pH/aroma profile, this becomes optional. The first time, it's not optional.

Pinxin already runs this category Pinxin's existing 7 hericium SKUs include fermented products at -40°C blast-frozen. Pinxin's food-safety protocols already cover similar moist-warm-fermented territory. Connect with Pinxin's HACCP officer (Floyd or whoever's the current Pinxin food-safety lead) for review of the KM-V protocol before the first trial.

§ 07 · DAY-6 EVALUATIONPass / fail / iterate decision tree

11-Node sensory scoring

Score each 1-10. KM-V predicted composite ~8.3-8.5 (vs KM-A 8.62)

Node	What to assess	KM-V predicted	Yours
N1 Free-Glu	Umami body on first chew	9.5+	___ /10
N2 Nucleotide	Mushroom-stock depth	8.3	___ /10
N3 Aroma	Earthy + ferment perfume	7.5-8.0	___ /10
N4 Maillard	Sear browning notes	7.5-8.0	___ /10
N5 Surface aroma	Koji-skin perfume	7.5-8.0	___ /10
X1 Softness	Yields to bite, no rubber	8.2	___ /10
X2 β-glucan x-link	Cohesive bite, no fall-apart	8.5	___ /10
X3 Fiber anisotropy	Visible parallel fiber on tear	~7.5 (down from KM-A 8.80)	___ /10
X4 Water gradient	Juicy interior, drier crust	8.0	___ /10
X5 Network density	Springback on compression	8.3	___ /10
X6 Grain visibility	Visible mycelium grain on cross-section	~6.5 (down from KM-A 10.0)	___ /10
COMPOSITE			predicted 8.3-8.5

Decision tree based on Day-6 composite

IF COMPOSITE ≥ 8.0/10

KM-V validated. The vacuum-shape + dehydrator approach works. Next: run 3 more KM-V trials to confirm reproducibility. Then queue Pinxin pilot for label-extension testing.

IF COMPOSITE 7.5-7.9

KM-V acceptable, iterate. Identify lowest 2 nodes — adjust recipe in those directions (e.g., if X5 low → bump gluten to 50g; if N3 low → drop temp to 29°C). Re-run trial.

IF COMPOSITE 7.0-7.4

Investigate failure modes — was humidity too dry? Did dehydrator airflow over-dry the surface? Was the pouch fully sealed (anaerobic)? Adjust the rig setup before another KM-V attempt.

IF COMPOSITE < 7.0 OR ANY SAFETY ABORT

KM-V format insufficient — escalate to KM-A. The dehydrator + vacuum-pouch approach may not give enough environmental control for our chemistry. Order the 3D-print + silicone + custom muro setup → run KM-A canonical at week 3-4.

§ 08 · AFTER THE TRIALWhat to do with the result

If KM-V scores ≥ 8.0 (the green path)

Photo + document trial via @Gaiachef_bot /feedback — log composite + per-node + photos
Run 2 more KM-V trials (week 2 and 3) to confirm reproducibility. Three consistent passes = recipe validated.
Cost re-verify — track actual COGS across the 3 trials. Confirm RM 25 ± 3 per 400g block.
Pinxin pilot — propose label-extension: "KM-V Plant Protein Block" alongside existing 7 hericium SKUs. Use Pinxin's blast-freeze infra.
Marketing engage — pass photos + recipe to creative-director for first hero shot trial. Koji Brutalism aesthetic applied to the actual product.
Defer 3D printer — only invest in KM-A path if KM-V plateaus AND we need the +0.2 composite hero-tier SKU positioning.

If KM-V scores 7.5-7.9 (the yellow path)

Identify the 2 lowest nodes in scoring
Use the results_deep.json top-10 to find a variant with stronger score on those specific nodes — use that as next-trial recipe
Re-trial KM-V with the adjusted recipe

If KM-V scores < 7.5 OR has safety issue (the red path)

Document the failure mode precisely (which day, which sign, what changed)
If safety abort → batch discard + dehydrator deep-sanitize (boiling water rinse + alcohol spray all surfaces + run empty for 24h at 60°C)
Escalate to KM-A 3D-mold path — order Bambu A1 Mini printer + food-grade silicone + custom muro chamber components. Add 2-3 weeks timeline.
Run KM-A first batch with full mold + muro setup. KM-A's controlled environment likely closes the gap.

What's deferred for now

Multi-flavor variants — once KM-V works, develop K-flavor variants (smoked koji · masala-spiced koji · gochujang koji)
HPP cold-pressure shelf-extension — partner with MARDI to test HPP at 600MPa × 3 min on demolded block — could extend chilled shelf to 30-45 days
Cross-brand applications — Pinxin rendang sauce + KM-V block sliced; MIRRA premium bento centerpiece; Wholey tasting-menu cut
Patent / trade-secret filing — the KM-V vacuum-shape protocol + heavy koji + low-humidity dehydrator combination has IP potential if no prior art exists

→ Back to R&D Workbench → Log first trial via @Gaiachef_bot KM-A spec (3D-mold path)

Phase 1 Pilot · KM-V v1.1 PANEL-AMENDED

★ V1.1 · 30-EXPERT PANEL AMENDED4 hard conditions before Day 0

① DROP THE VACUUM STEP ENTIRELY

② BUMP LIVE RICE KOJI 91g → 110g

③ PRE-BATCH MICROBIOLOGY BASELINE

④ DAY-6 SURFACE MYCELIUM ≥70% GATE

§ 01 · WHY KM-VThe "use what we already have" path

The two substitutions

Trade-off honest accounting

WHAT KM-V KEEPS

WHAT KM-V SACRIFICES

§ 01.5 · POSITIONINGThe big strategic insight — KM-V is a CRUMBLE/FILLING SKU, not whole-cut

§ 02 · PRE-FLIGHTWhat we have vs what we need to buy

§ 03 · SHOPPING LISTVerified Shopee MY click-to-order

Equipment / one-time gear

Ingredients (KM-V recipe, per 400g block)

§ 04 · KM-V RECIPEModified from KM-A — same chemistry, vacuum-shape format

Ferment conditions

§ 05 · 6-DAY PROCEDUREVacuum-shape then ferment

§ 06 · FOOD SAFETYThe critical anaerobic + pathogen protocol

⚠ Why vacuum-pouch koji needs careful protocol

Hard abort criteria — discard the batch immediately if any of these

§ 07 · DAY-6 EVALUATIONPass / fail / iterate decision tree

11-Node sensory scoring

Score each 1-10. KM-V predicted composite ~8.3-8.5 (vs KM-A 8.62)

Decision tree based on Day-6 composite

IF COMPOSITE ≥ 8.0/10

IF COMPOSITE 7.5-7.9

IF COMPOSITE 7.0-7.4

IF COMPOSITE < 7.0 OR ANY SAFETY ABORT

§ 08 · AFTER THE TRIALWhat to do with the result

If KM-V scores ≥ 8.0 (the green path)

If KM-V scores 7.5-7.9 (the yellow path)

If KM-V scores < 7.5 OR has safety issue (the red path)

What's deferred for now