High fiber, high protein, low carbohydrate flour, sweetened liquid, sweeteners, cereals, and methods for production thereof

A process for enhancing protein and fiber content of a starch-containing substrate comprising:

• incubating the starch-containing substrate containing grain, seed, legume or bean kernels having protein and fiber in water suspension at a first temperature for a first period of time to promote an initial phase of germination;
• following the first period of time, flushing the water used in the water suspension and maintaining hydration of the starch-containing substrate at a second temperature for a second period of time to germinate the grain, seed, legume or bean kernels to provide a partially germinated substrate that has acrospires having an average length no longer than ¼ to ⅓ the length of the grain, seed, legume or bean kernels;
• following the second period of time, milling the partially germinated substrate to fracture the grain, seed, legume or bean kernels so as to release the starch for saccharification;
• heating a mixture of water and the milled partially germinated substrate at a third temperature for a third period of time to initiate β-amylase initial saccharification of the starch in the mixture;
• following the third period of time, heating the mixture to a fourth temperature for a fourth period of time, the fourth temperature being greater than the third temperature, to thereby initiate further α-amylase saccharification of the starch in the mixture;
• following the fourth period of time, heating the mixture to a fifth temperature for a fifth period of time, the fifth temperature being greater than the fourth temperature, to thereby denature β-amylase and α-amylase enzymes and terminate any further saccharification of the starch in the mixture;
• separating the mixture into a liquid portion and a solid portion;
• and
• drying the solid portion to reduce the water content to thereby produce a dried product with enhanced protein and fiber content that can be used for the preparation of foods for human consumption.