Abstract: The invention relates to a process for large scale solid-state fermentation. The process comprises providing a substrate to be cultured (S1) made of plant material and/or animal material, filling vessels (S2) with the substrate using an automated filling system, sterilizing (S4) the vessels, inoculating (S5) the substrate with a microbial inoculant adapted to cause fermentation of the cultured substrate, storing (S6) the vessels in a closed state in controlled climate conditions for solid state fermentation of the cultured substrate, and harvesting (S7) the content of the vessels. Each vessel has an inner volume of 50 L or less and a smallest dimension less than or equal to 40 cm. This process is particularly adapted, with additional steps, for the production of fermented flour. In this process, upscaling is obtained by providing a high number of small bioreactors and by automation, instead of increasing the size of the reactors as generally done in the field of bioprocessing.

Abstract: The invention describes a food or flour composition derived from fungal fermentation of plant material, the flour composition having a total metabolizable carbohydrate level of between 0.1-50% by weight. Also described are processes for the manufacture of the food or flour compositions using fungal fermentation having a total metabolizable carbohydrate level of between 0.1-50% by weight.