The present invention relates to a process for the production of acrylic acid (AA) comprising the steps wherein: a) a 1st gas mixture comprising propylene, oxygen, an inert gas and steam is subjected to a 1st catalytic oxidation reaction stage thereby converting the propylene in the presence of a catalyst mainly into acrolein being contained in a 2nd gas mixture from said 1st catalytic oxidation reaction, b) said 2nd gas mixture from the 1st catalytic oxidation reaction stage is subjected to a 2nd catalytic oxidation reaction stage thereby converting the acrolein in the presence of a catalyst mainly into AA, being contained in a product gas, c) said product gas is subjected to a quench tower, wherein said AA is recovered as an aqueous solution comprising said AA being contained in the process water, wherein a process vent gas is obtained at the top of said quench tower, wherein, said 1st gas mixture has a steam/propylene ratio of >0.3 and