BACKGROUND: Olive tree trimmings, a widely available agricultural residue lacking added value applications, were subjected to treatments with hot, compressed water under a variety of operational conditions. As a result of treatments, hemicelluloses were solubilized, and the treated solids were enriched in cellulose and lignin. Spent solids from autohydrolysis were assayed as substrates for enzymatic hydrolysis and for bioethanol production by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation. RESULTS: Liquors from the aqueous fractionation stage resulted in the formation of soluble hemicellulose-derived saccharides (mainly of oligomeric nature) at yields up to 26.2 g per 100 g oven-dry raw material. Enzymatic hydrolysis of spent solids from the aqueous fractionation step led to solutions containing up to 58.8 g glucose L(-1) (corresponding to cellulose to glucose conversions up to 83.2%). Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation assays using spent solids as substrates enabled the production of media containing up to 38.2 g ethanol L(-1), corresponding to 72% of the stoichiometric amount. CONCLUSION: Aqueous (or hydrothermal) processing is a technology enabling the recovery of hemicelluloses (as soluble saccharides) and the production of spent solids with high susceptibility to enzymatic hydrolysis (suitable for bioethanol production by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation). (C) 2011 Society of Chemical Industry