Sequential fermentation for the production of two invaluable biopolymers, levan and poly-epsilon-lysine (epsilon-PL), has been successfully developed. It involves fermentation of Bacillus subtilis (natto) Takahashi in sucrose medium to produce levan, separation of levan product from small remaining sugar molecules by ultrafiltration and fermentation of the remnant from levan production by Streptomyces albulus to produce epsilon-PL In the process, 50-60 g/L of levan was produced (100% recovery after precipitation by ethanol). The remnant from levan production with glucose adjusted to 30 g/L and with combined use of yeast extract (10 g/L), (NH(4))(2)SO(4) (2 g/L) and basal salts was proven to be suitable for epsilon-PL production. 4.37 g/L of epsilon-PL accumulation (85% recovery after purification) was reached in 72 h using two-stage fermentation with control of pH. The process of using remnant (waste) from levan fermentation for the second biopolymer (epsilon-PL) production is unprecedented and the products obtained are environmental-friendly. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.