In this study, a fungal mash rich in hydrolytic enzymes was produced by solid state fermentation (SSF) of waste cake in a simple and efficient manner and was further applied for high-efficiency hydrolysis of mixed food wastes (FW). The enzymatic pretreatment of FW with this fungal mash resulted in 89.1 g/L glucose, 2.4 g/L free amino nitrogen, 165 g/L soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) and 64% reduction in volatile solids within 24 h. The biomethane yield and production rate from FW pretreated with the fungal mash were found to be respectively about 2.3 and 3.5-times higher than without pretreatment. After anaerobic digestion of pretreated FW, a volatile solids removal of 80.4 +/- 3.5% was achieved. The pretreatment of mixed FW with the fungal mash produced in this study is a promising option for enhancing anaerobic digestion of FW in terms of energy recovery and volume reduction. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.