Starch was converted into glucose by hydrolysis with water under hydrothermal conditions at 453 - 513 K in a small batch reactor. The major product was glucose; oligomers having various degrees of polymerization, maltose, fructose, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural were also produced. The maximum yield of glucose obtained was 630 g kg(-1) on the carbon basis at 473 K and 30 min, where the quantity of carbon unrecovered was about 50 g kg(-1), and the production of char and gaseous products was negligible. (C) 2004 Society of Chemical Industry.