1. Write the decision before selecting samples
State the decision the pilot should support. For example: can the proposed process meet the facility’s agreed quality and release criteria for a defined product format? List the measures that will answer that question and the people who will approve the result.
Agree on acceptance criteria before results arrive. Include microbial measures, product quality, and any operational measure that matters to the decision. The applicable laboratory methods and release requirements should be checked for each jurisdiction and product.
- What decision will the results support?
- Which criteria are required by the local program, and which are internal?
- Who approves the protocol and the final decision?
2. Define lots and variation
Record what constitutes a lot in this facility, including cultivar or product type, harvest date, room or source, and relevant handling history. Choose lots that represent the range of material the proposed process may encounter; do not generalize a result from one convenient batch to all material.
Write down how samples will be selected within each lot, who will select them, and when selection occurs. Ask the testing laboratory and quality lead to review the design before work begins.
- Which lots represent normal and challenging conditions?
- How will selection avoid only taking easy-to-reach material?
- What material or handling differences must be recorded?
3. Make the comparison interpretable
Plan treated and comparison material from the same defined lot when feasible. Document what happens to each group between selection and testing, including packaging, transport, storage, and timing. A difference in handling can obscure the process effect.
Describe the treatment configuration, loading, settings, and any deviations. Use the same agreed test methods for comparable groups and capture both the result and the method’s reporting limits.
- What comparison group will be used?
- Are storage and testing windows comparable?
- What process settings and deviations will be logged?
4. Preserve identity and custody
Give every sample a unique identifier linked to its lot, treatment status, collection point, and collection time. Keep a record of each transfer, the receiving person or laboratory, storage conditions, and any damaged or missing sample.
Use the facility’s approved procedures for packaging and transport. Confirm the laboratory’s sample acceptance requirements before shipping so a rejected sample does not leave an unplanned gap in the pilot.
- Can each result be traced to one sample and one lot?
- Who owns the custody log?
- What happens when a sample is rejected or lost?
5. Review the complete result
Review microbial results alongside the quality attributes chosen in the protocol, such as moisture, appearance, aroma, or measured constituents when relevant. Record observations that a laboratory panel alone may not capture, and keep the evaluation method consistent.
Summarize whether each pre-agreed criterion was met, what uncertainty remains, and whether the pilot supports a wider trial, a process change, or no change. Keep the raw records and a versioned summary so later decisions can be audited.
- Did every measure meet its pre-agreed criterion?
- Which findings are limited to this product and configuration?
- What follow-up test would resolve remaining uncertainty?
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