Food residues were converted to ethanol by simultaneous saccharification with an amylolytic enzyme complex (a mixture of amyloglucosidase, alpha-amylase, and protease), and fermentation (SSF) with the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. About 36 g dm(-3) of ethanol was obtained from 100 g dm(-3) food residue in 48 h of fermentation. In the SSF with no nitrogen supplements, 25 g dm(-3) of ethanol was produced from 100 g dm(-3) food residues. In addition, none of the nutrient components except yeast extract from the SSF medium were found to affect ethanol production from food residues. This result indicates that food residues could be a good economic bioresource for ethanol production. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.