A process for the preparation of a ring-hydrogenated alkyl furfuryl ether of the general formula (I) or a mixture of such ethers: (I) R″-TF—CH2-O—R where TF represents a 2,5-disubstituted tetrahydrofuran ring, where each R independently represents a hydrocarbyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and where each R″ independently represents a methyl group, a hydroxymethyl group, the product of an aldol condensation reaction or an alkoxymethyl group of the general formula (II): (II) —CH2-O—R′ where each R′ independently represents a hydrocarbyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, the process including the step of reacting a 5-(alkoxymethyl)furfural of the general formula (III) or a 2,5-bis(dialkoxymethyl)furan of the general formula (IV) under hydrogenation conditions: (III) R′—O—CH2-F—CH═O (IV) R′—O—CH2-F—CH2-O—R″ to form said ring-hydrogenated alkyl furfuryl ether of the general formula (I) or a mixture of said ethers wherein F represents a 2,5-disubstituted furan ring, and R′, and R″ have the definitions as described above.