Process and composition for an improved flour product

A process for production of a flour composition derived from fungal fermentation of plant material to reduce a level of metabolizable carbohydrate in the flour composition, the process including the steps of:

• a) providing a lignocellulosic plant material substrate having a moisture level between 55% and 90%, wherein the lignocellulosic plant material substrate is fruit pomace, vegetable pomace, fruit skins/peels, or vegetable skins/peels;
• b) sterilizing the lignocellulosic plant material substrate;
• c) inoculating the sterile substrate with an active, edible higher fungus to break down the plant material and digest the carbohydrate present within the lignocellulosic plant material substrate, said edible higher fungus is a white rot fungi selected from the group consisting of Pleurotus eryngii, Pleurotus pulmonarius, Pleurotus djamor, Pleurotus australis, Pleurotus purpureo-olivaceus, Pleurotus citrinopileatus, Pleurotus florida, Pleurotus flabellatus, Pleurotus ferulae, and Pleurotus cystidiosus;
• d) incubating the inoculated substrate at between 18° C. and 40° C. for a period of between 5 and 28 days and under air flow to prevent build-up of either excessive oxygen or carbon dioxide to produce a fermented substrate;
• e) drying the fermented substrate;
• and
• f) milling the dried, fermented substrate to form the flour composition,
• wherein a reduction in the level of the metabolizable carbohydrate between the plant material substrate and the flour composition is between 20% and 90%,
• wherein the process further comprises adding a functional additive comprising a food grade nitrogen source to the lignocellulosic plant material substrate prior to inoculation,
• wherein the flour composition produced by the process has a total metabolizable carbohydrate level of 0.1-30% by weight,
• wherein the flour composition comprises 30-90% by weight dietary fiber, and
• wherein the dietary fiber comprises 5-70% fungal derived 1,3 and 1,6 beta glucans.

A process for production of a flour composition derived from fungal fermentation of plant material to reduce a level of metabolizable carbohydrate in the flour composition, the process including the steps of:

• a) providing a lignocellulosic plant material substrate having a moisture level between 55% and 90%, wherein the lignocellulosic plant material substrate is fruit pomace, vegetable pomace, fruit skins/peels, or vegetable skins/peels;
• b) sterilizing the lignocellulosic plant material substrate;
• c) inoculating the sterile substrate with an active, edible higher fungus to break down the plant material and digest the carbohydrate present within the lignocellulosic plant material substrate, said edible higher fungus is a white rot fungi selected from the genus of Pleurotus, wherein the white rot fungi is not Pleurotus ostreatus or Pleurotus sajor-caju;
• d) incubating the inoculated substrate at between 18° C. and 40° C. for a period of between 5 and 28 days and under air flow to prevent build-up of either excessive oxygen or carbon dioxide to produce a fermented substrate;
• e) drying the fermented substrate;
• and
• f) milling the dried, fermented substrate to form the flour composition,
• wherein a reduction in the level of the metabolizable carbohydrate between the plant material substrate and the flour composition is between 20% and 90%,
• wherein the process further comprises adding a functional additive comprising a food grade nitrogen source to the lignocellulosic plant material substrate prior to inoculation, wherein the flour composition produced by the process has a total metabolizable carbohydrate level of 0.1-30% by weight,
• wherein the flour composition comprises 30-90% by weight dietary fiber, and
• wherein the dietary fiber comprises 5-70% fungal derived 1,3 and 1,6 beta glucans.