A furfural derivative having the chemical formula (1) wherein R represents hydrogen, an alkyl group or an acyl group, is prepared in a process, which process includes reacting a fructose- and/or glucose-containing starting material with a liquid hydroxyl group-containing compound of formula R—OH in the presence of an acid catalyst at a reaction temperature in the range of 150 to 300° C. to produce an acid reaction mixture including the furfural derivative of chemical formula (1), which acid reaction mixture has a pH-value of smaller than 3; neutralizing the acid reaction mixture to a pH-value in the range of 3 to 6.5 to provide a partially neutralized reaction mixture; and purifying the partially neutralized reaction mixture to recover the furfural derivative of chemical formula (1).