Created by Mendocino Food Consulting

The human in the loop · For founders who use AI

AI gave you an answer. I'll tell you if it's right.

ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini can write a formula, a launch plan or a regulatory summary in seconds. From my understanding of how these tools work, they're built to sound right, and they don't always know when they're wrong. I'm a food scientist who uses AI in my own work, and I'll be the expert human in the loop who checks it before you spend real money on it.

See the four options Book a call

From $350 · Flat fees, fixed scope, no hourly meter running

Why AI needs a human in the loop

It sounds sure, even when it's wrong

It'll hand you a usage level with the same confidence whether it's spot on or off by ten times.

It can't taste or test

No tongue, no pH meter, no water activity reading. It has never had a batch fail on it.

The rules depend on your product

FDA or USDA, acidified foods, allergens, your state's cottage food law. It's easy to get the wrong rulebook.

To be clear, I'm not anti-AI. I use it every day for research and first drafts. That's exactly why I know where it slips.

The options

Four ways to get an expert check

1$350 · 45 min

Second Opinion Call

Got a formula or an answer from AI? Let's check it.

AI tools are really quite good at writing formulas that look right. My bet is that most of them hide at least one thing that won't work in real life: A preservative that does nothing at your pH, a gum at three times its usual level, a "shelf stable" claim with no water activity behind it. Send me what you have, and in 45 minutes you'll know what holds up and what doesn't.

  • Send your AI formula, recipe, plan or idea ahead of time
  • I review it before we talk
  • A 45-minute video call with straight answers

Best for: Anyone who wants an AI answer verified before buying ingredients.

Book a Second Opinion Call
2$950

Product Launch Roadmap

Turn an AI launch plan into a real one.

AI can list the steps to launch a food product. It can't tell you which ones apply to yours, what they really cost or where the landmines are. In one 90-minute call and a written roadmap, I lay out your actual path to market, a realistic budget and the regulatory flags that apply to you.

  • A 90-minute strategy call
  • A written roadmap within 7 business days
  • A 30-minute follow-up call
  • Credited toward formulation if you book within 60 days

Best for: First-time founders who want a plan they can trust before the first big check.

See the Roadmap
3$2,450

Feasibility Analysis

AI says it's possible. Is it?

AI will tell you almost any product is possible. Some are. A Feasibility Analysis checks your idea against the research, real usage levels, food safety and regulations, then gives you two or three formulation directions with their trade-offs.

  • A written report with a clear go or no-go
  • A review call to walk through it together
  • Becomes Phase 1 of formulation if you move forward

Best for: Tricky products, like a gummy with one gelling agent, a drink with no gums or a brand-new ingredient.

See the Feasibility Analysis
4From $10,000

Custom Project

When it's time to make the real thing.

AI can't stand at the bench. I take products from concept through a benchtop prototype and two revisions. Full formulation projects usually run $10,000 to $15,000, paid in $2,500 milestones. If your question doesn't fit any of these boxes, book a call anyway and tell me about it.

  • Concept, design and benchtop prototype
  • Two rounds of revisions
  • A scope written up front, so we both know the finish line

Best for: Founders ready for a prototype, or anything that doesn't fit the other three.

Book a call now

Not sure which one?

Still stuck? Book a call and tell me what you're making. I'll point you to the right one, even if that's none of them.

Food companies I've worked with

Blue Diamond GrowersThe Good Food InstituteTurtleTreeBlack Sheep FoodsValrhona ChocolateCool Earth Creamery

“Dr. Bryan Quoc Le...has been a valuable source of information about any hard-to-solve chemistry problems. Not only has he provided a lot of beneficial resources, but has also offered practical solutions based on his expertise.”

Maryam Baniasadi, Ph.D., Head of Flavor, Black Sheep Foods

Hi, I'm Dr. Bryan Quoc Le

I'm a food scientist and the author of 150 Food Science Questions Answered. For more than ten years I've worked across food tech, biotech and nutraceuticals, and my work has been featured in The New York Times, TIME, Scientific American, National Geographic and Rolling Stone.

I also moderate r/foodscience, where I answer food science questions every week. Answering questions is my favorite part of this work, and checking an AI's answer is just the newest version of it.

Questions founders ask

Can I really send you a formula from ChatGPT?

Yes, please do. AI is a great place to start, and it can save you a lot of time. It just can't taste, measure pH or read a co-packer's spec sheet, so having a food scientist check it before you buy ingredients is cheap insurance.

Do you use AI yourself?

Every day, for research and first drafts. I treat what it gives me as a smart first guess, then check it against the literature, the regulations and my own experience at the bench. That's the same check I'll run on yours.

How does booking work?

Every option starts on my calendar. For the Second Opinion Call, book a time and I'll send an invoice and a short form for your formula or question. For the Roadmap, Feasibility Analysis and custom work, we start with a free intro call to make sure it's the right fit, and nothing is charged until we agree.

Can I start small and go deeper later?

That's exactly how it's designed. Lots of folks start with a call, find out what they're dealing with, and then move to a Roadmap or a Feasibility Analysis when it makes sense.

Will you sign an NDA?

Yes. I'm happy to sign one before you share your concept or recipe.

Before you trust it, check it.

Book a time on my calendar, send me what AI told you, and we'll figure out what's right and what's next.

Book a call now