The UASB first pilot plant was installed in the 1970's at a beet sugar refinery in The Netherlands (CSM suiker). Thereafter, a large number of full-scale plants were installed throughout the Netherlands at sugar refineries, potato starch processing plants, and other food industries, as well as paper recycle plants.

There are various types of wastewater discharged from food processing industry because the number of raw materials, processes and types of products involved in the industry are enormous. The content of wastewater, its concentration, as well as the volume of wastewater show large variations depending on the type of wastewater. There are many waste water streams from the food industry which are an ideal substrate for anaerobic treatment.