Process for the production of nutritional products with microorganisms using sequential solid substrate and liquid fermentation

A process for producing an animal feed supplement comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a first-stage bio-reaction feedstock in a solid substrate bio-reaction mixture containing microbial growth nutrients, in a bioreactor;
• (b) inoculating the first-stage feedstock with a culture of a microorganism capable of secreting degradative enzymes wherein said microorganism is selected from the group consisting of Trichoderma reesei, Trichoderma hamatum, Gliocladium, Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus oligosporus, Rhizopus oryzae, Clostridium thermocellum, Phanerochaete chrysoporium or mixtures thereof, thereby producing a first bio-reaction mixture;
• (c) incubating the first bio-reaction mixture for a time and under conditions sufficient to produce a first-stage bio-reaction product;
• (d) pretreating a raw second-stage bio-reaction feedstock by contacting the raw second-stage feedstock with phosphoric acid for a time sufficient to hydrolyze hemicellulose, to produce free lignin, and cellulose in the second-stage feedstock, then;
• (e) neutralizing the acid, whereby a second-stage bio-reaction feedstock is prepared;
• (f) combining the second-stage bio-reaction feedstock with the product of the first-stage bio-reaction of step (c) and a second-stage bio-reaction microorganism of Saccharomyces or Candida, whereby the second-stage bio-reaction is initiated;
• (g) incubating the second-stage bio-reaction for a time and under conditions sufficient to produce an animal feed supplement;
• and
• (h) recovering an animal feed supplement.