The present invention relates to a hydrolysate obtainable by hydrolysing a substrate comprising at least one animal protein by a food-grade bacterium in an environment of less than 2 wt% salt content. The present invention further relates to a process for producing a hydrolysate, comprising the steps of a) mixing a substrate with a food- grade bacterium, and b) incubating the mixture of step a) under conditions of less than 2 wt% salt content, wherein the substrate comprises at least one animal protein. The hydrolysate or the hydrolysate obtainable from the process in accordance with the present invention is superior in flavour, aroma, texture and nutritional value, and may be used or further processed to obtain a food product.
