A two-step anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR-1 and ABR-2) for H-2 production from municipal food waste (MFW) was investigated at a temperature of 26 degrees C. In ABR-1, the average yield of H-2 at an HRT of 26 h and OLR of 58 kg COD/m(3) d was 250 ml H-2/g VS removed. As unexpected; the H-2 production in the ABR-2 was further increased up to 370 ml H-2/gVS removed at a HRT of 26 h and OLR of 35 kgCOD/m(3) d. The total H-2 yield in the two-step process was estimated to be 4.9 mol H-2/mol hexose. The major part of H-2 production in the ABR-1 was due to the conversion of CODparticulate (36%). In the ABR-2 the H-2 yield was mainly due to the conversion of COD in the soluble form (76%). Based on these results MFW could be ideal substrate for H-2 production in a two-step ABR processes. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.