Nonenzymatic protein was added to cellulase hydrolysis and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of different biomass materials. Adding bovine serum albumin (BSA) and corn steep before cellulase enhanced enzyme activity in solution and increased cellulose and xylose conversion rates. The cellulose conversion rate of filter paper hydrolysis was increased by 32.5 % with BSA treatment. When BSA was added before cellulase, the remaining activity in the solution was higher than that in a control without BSA pretreatment. During SSF with pretreated rice straw as the substrate, adding 1.0 mg/mL BSA increased the ethanol yield by 13.6 % and final xylose yield by 42.6 %. The results indicated that lignin interaction is not the only mechanism responsible for the positive BSA effect. BSA had a stabilizing effect on cellulase and relieved cumulative sugar inhibition of enzymatic hydrolysis of biomass materials. Thus, nonenzymatic protein addition represents a promising strategy in the biorefining of lignocellulose materials.