 5-hydroxymethylferol, 5-HMF, can be produced from carbohydrates such as glucose or fructose using various methods, including treatment with niobic acid and concentrated aqueous solutions of carboxylic acids. The latter method yields up to 64% 5-HMF from fructose after 2 hours at 150°C, making it a potential option for clean and easy production of 5-HMF from carbohydrates. This article was authored by Nadine Essayam, Frank Radable, Rodrigo Lopez de Souza, and others.