TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The lignocellulosic material comprises cellulose at 30-55 (preferably 35-45) wt.%, hemicellulose at 20-50 (preferably 24-42) wt.%, and lignin at 10-25 wt.%. The lignocellulosic material comprises corn kernel fiber, glucan, which comprises cellulose or xylan. The liquid component comprises: xylose (2-6 (preferably 1) wt.%) or at least 50%, preferably at least 90%; furfural and acetic acid; and at least a portion of the acid from the step of applying a dilute acid to the biomass. The solid component comprises: lignocellulosic material; cellulose at 45-65 wt.%; lignin at 20-30 wt.%; at least 75% of the cellulose from which glucose can be made available in the lignocellulosic material; and at least 90% of the cellulose in the lignocellulosic material. The dilute acid is sulfuric acid. The prepared biomass comprises at least 10 wt.% in a slurry provided to pre-treatment. The dilute acid has a concentration of 0.85-0.95%. Preferred Method: The method further comprises: accessing xylose and glucose for fermentation into the fermentation product; removing the lignin from the fermentation product; and distilling the fermentation product to recover ethanol. The step of separating the pre-treated biomass comprises the use of a centrifuge. The lignocellulosic material comprises plant material and further comprises grinding the plant material into prepared biomass prior to the step of applying a dilute acid. EXAMPLE - Prepared biomass was loaded into the reaction vessel with water and sulfuric acid. At the start of pre-treatment, the reaction vessel contained 14.3 wt.% of solids (e.g. from the prepared biomass) and 0.9 wt.% of sulfuric acid (added with water). The pre-treatment was conducted at 150 degrees C for 5 minutes. After pre-treatment and separation, the liquid component of the pre-treated biomass was analyzed. The concentration of xylose in the liquid component was approximately 4.6 wt.%. It was observed that under the operating conditions a yield of 85-95% of xylose from the xylan in the prepared biomass (a xylose concentration of up to 4.6 wt.% in the liquid component) along with glucose (at a concentration of 0.44 wt.% in the liquid component) and a relatively low level of furfural (an inhibitor present at a concentration of 570 ppm).