Abstract: A method of production and recovery of protein from food wastes according to which a medium composed of various combined food wastes and containing both a protein source (such as collagen) and a carbohydrate source (such as starch) is modified by the action of selected microbial species (such as Bacillus subtilis). The resulting Bacillus-modified enriched liquid medium permits the growth of more fastidious organisms (such as Lactobacillus acidophilus) that are acceptable as a single cell protein source. As an alternative and prior to the introduction of the Lactobacillus, the modified medium may be fortified by the addition of other food wastes, (such as cheese whey or spent brewer's yeast cells). The final recovery of protein from the fastidious organisms may be accomplished by any one of the established methods of protein or food recovery and/or isolation.