TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - BIOLOGY - Preferred Components: The microorganism comprises yeast.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The particles comprise electrons accelerated to a speed of greater than 75% of the speed of light. The combination includes 0.05-35 wt.% of inorganic material. The inorganic material comprises: a metal or a metal alloy comprising ferrous metals, base metals, noble metals, precious metals or transition metals; aluminum metal; a metallic compound comprising iron or cobalt in the 2+ or 3+ oxidation state; a refractory material, which is zircon, fireclay, silica, alumina, chromite, silicon carbide, carbon, mullite, dolomite or magnesite; a ceramic, which is oxides, carbides, borides, nitrides, silicides or kaolins; and water that is capable of leaving the inorganic material at elevated temperatures. The inorganic material does not have a melting point. The inorganic material has: a melting point of greater than 400 degrees C; a specific heat capacity Cp of less than 1.5; a conductivity of 0.004-450 W/mK; and a density of greater than 1.5 g/cm3. The inorganic material comprises particles having an average particle size of 0.1-100 microns.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The irradiation is performed with accelerated particles. The step of combining the carbohydrate-containing material with the inorganic material comprises: dry blending or co-comminuting; and co-comminuting the materials while each material is cooled to a temperature below 25 degrees C. The materials are cooled to a temperature at or below 0 degrees C. The method further comprises, after irradiating, removing the inorganic material, and converting the irradiated carbohydrate-containing material to a product using an enzyme and/or a microorganism, in which the removing step takes place after converting. Preferred Components: The carbohydrate-containing material comprises a cellulosic or lignocellulosic. The hydrocarbon-containing material is tar or oil sands, oil shale, crude oil, bitumen, coal, petroleum gases, liquefied natural and/or synthetic gas, or asphalt. The hydrocarbon-containing material comprises a solid, particulate, powder, liquid and/or gas. The solid/liquid comprises coal.