Hydrolysis of the hemicellulose arabinogalactan was studied in this work over several functionalized carbon materials, which were specifically treated to increase their acidities. Hydrolytic hydrogenation of arabinogalactan was investigated using the same materials in a mechanical mixture with ruthenium supported on active carbon. Application of these mixtures resulted in formation of polyols, suppressing simultaneously the generation of side products hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furfural. Formation of high molecular weight compounds (aggregates of sugars and humins) was still quite substantial with a mechanical mixture of Ru/C and a carbon material prepared from sucrose by activation with zinc chloride to increase porosity. Post-treatment of this carbonaceous material with sulphuric acid significantly influenced kinetics of high molecular weight products formation resulting also in elevation of sugar alcohols yields. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.