Abstract: Process for preparing surfactant, which comprises contacting cane trash, maize by-products, sorghum by-products, barley by-products, rice by-products, fruits, chicory pulp, tubers or cynara for at least 5 seconds with a hydrolysing agent selected from an aqueous acid solution at between 20 and 150.degree. C. and an enzymatic hydrolysing composition of a plant material at between 20 and 90.degree. C. to obtain a sugar syrup, freeing the sugar syrup from any solid residues and contacting the residue-free sugar syrup with a C.sub.4-22 -alcohol at a temperature of between 20 and 150.degree. C., preferably between 30 and 110.degree. C., until a solution of surfactant glycosides is obtained, and separating the surfactant glycosides from this solution.

Abstract: This composition based on polyglycosides comprises 30 to 65% by weight of at least one fatty alcohol of formula ROH, where R is a staturated or unsaturated, straight-chained or branched aliphatic radical having 1 to 4 ethylenically unsaturated bonds and having 12 to 22 carbon atoms, the remainder being a mixture of polyglycosides containing 35 to 75% by weight, based on the polyglycosides, of polyhexosides.

Abstract: Processes for preparing mixtures of alkyl pentosides from wheat by-products, such as wheat bran, wheat fibre or wheat straw are provided. The resulting mixtures are useful as surfactants. Compositions containing the resulting surfactants agent are also provided.