Five strains producing ethanol were isolated from soil near traditional alcohol production factory in Gwangju, Korea. One of the isolated strains maintained relatively stable ethanol production in shaking culture. The isolated strain KJ was proved to be Saccharomyces italicus, based on several biochemical and morphological tests containing assimilation of carbon compounds. In investment of the most suitable carbon for ethanol production, ethanol concentration of 5.46 g/L and yield of 0.53 g-ethanol/g-glucose were obtained in condition of glucose 10 g/L in YM medium. Experimental optimal conditions for ethanol fermentation by S. italicus KJ were as follows; temperature $30^{circ}C$, initial pH 5.0, initial concentration 10% of glucose, anaerobic condition in the liquid cultivation. When enzymatically saccharified food wastes(SFW) were used as the production medium, ethanol production yield was 0.57 g-ethanol/g-reducing sugar. Therefore, SFW will contribute to lower the production cost of ethanol for industrial application.