Non-enzymatic proteins were added during hydrolysis of cellulose and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of different biomass materials. Bovine serum albumin (BSA), a model non-enzymatic protein, increased cellulose and xylose conversion efficiency and also enhanced the ethanol yield during SSF of rice straw subjected to varied pretreatments. Corn steep liquor, yeast extract, and peptone also exerted a similar effect as BSA and enhanced the enzymatic hydrolysis of rice straw. Compared to the glucose yields obtained after enzymatic hydrolysis of rice straw in the absence of additives, the glucose yields after 72 h of hydrolysis increased by 12.7%, 13.5%, and 13.7% after addition of the corn steep liquor, yeast extract, and peptone, respectively. This study indicated the use of BSA as an alternative to intensive pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials for enhancing enzymatic digestibility. The utilization of non-enzymatic protein additives is promising for application in glucose and ethanol production from lignocellulosic materials. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.