Carbohydrate-rich biomass residues, i.e. sugar beet molasses, whey powder, wine yeast, potato peel sludge, spent hops, malt dust and apple mare, were tested as starting materials for the generation of marketable chemicals, e.g. aliphatic acids, sugar acids and mono-/disaccharides. Residues were oxidized or hydrolyzed under acidic or alkaline conditions applying conventional laboratory digestion methods and microwave assisted techniques. Yields and compositions of the oxidation products differed according to the oxidizing agent used. Main products of oxidation by 30% HNO3 were acetic, glucaric, oxalic and glycolic acids. Applying H2O2/CuO in alkaline solution, the organic acid yields were remarkably lower with formic, acetic and threonic acids as main products. Gluconic acid was formed instead of glucaric acid throughout. Reaction of a 10% H2O2 solution with sugar beet molasses generated formic and lactic acids mainly. Na2S2O8 solutions were very inefficient at oxidizing the residues. Glucose, arabinose and galactose were formed during acidic hydrolysis of malt dust and apple marc. The glucose content reached 0.35 g per gram of residue. Important advantages of the microwave application were lower reaction times and reduced reagent demands. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.