Biological hydrogen (H-2) and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production from biowaste as feed were investigated with different bacteria. The 23 bacterial strains used in different combinations belonged to - Bacillus spp., Bordetella avium, Enterobacter aerogenes, Proteus mirabilis and a marine bacterium. Defined mixed H-2-producers alone could evolve 140-145 mL H-2 from 250 mL PSS (Pea-shells slurry). PSS hydrolysed with defined hydrolytic bacterial mixture followed by H-2-producers resulted in the production of 5.2 L H-2 from 4 L PSS. It was equivalent to a yield of 65 L H-2 kg(-1) TS fed. Here, H-2 constituted 55.2% of the total biogas. On the other hand, Bacillus cereus EGU44 could produce 1685 mg PHB L-1 from prehydrolyzed PSS, which was equivalent to 62.5 g kg(-1) TS fed. This is first report of its kind on the use of defined bacterial cultures for each of these steps. This approach of using defined mixed cultures is expected to enhance the sustainability of the process by enhancing their chances of survival in comparison to single bacterial culture. The use of biowaste as feed can further improve the economics of the process. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.