A process for the production of glycols comprising monoethylene and monopropylene glycols comprising the steps of: (i) contacting a saccharide-containing feedstock with a catalyst system in a reactor in the presence of a reaction medium, a buffer system comprising a heavy organic acid for controlling the pH within the reactor, and hydrogen; (ii) withdrawing a reactor product stream from the reactor; (iii) separating the reactor product stream into at least a glycol product stream and a hydrocarbon heavies stream; and (iv) recycling the hydrocarbon heavies stream at least partially back to the reactor; wherein components of the buffer system withdrawn from the reactor in the reactor product stream separate with the heavies stream and are recycled therewith; - wherein the catalyst system comprises a first active catalytic component comprising one or more materials selected from tungsten, molybdenum, lanthanum, tin and compounds and complexes thereof and a second active catalyst component comprising one or more materials selected from transition metals from Groups 8, 9 or 10 or compounds thereof, with catalytic hydrogenation capabilities, and - wherein the heavy organic acid is an acid that remains in the liquid phase when water and C 2 -C 4 glycols are boiled off the reactor product stream, and - wherein the buffer system preferably is based upon one or more of ascorbic acid, benzoic acid, oxalic acid, citric acid, adipic acid, lactic acid and/or glycolic acid, and - wherein the hydrocarbon heavies stream that is separated out from the reactor product stream along with the buffer components comprises C 3+ sugar alcohols and carboxylic acids. (i) contacting a saccharide-containing feedstock with a catalyst system in a reactor in the presence of a reaction medium, a buffer system comprising a heavy organic acid for controlling the pH within the reactor, and hydrogen; (ii) withdrawing a reactor product stream from the reactor; (iii) separating the reactor product stream into at least a glycol product stream and a hydrocarbon heavies stream; and (iv) recycling the hydrocarbon heavies stream at least partially back to the reactor; wherein components of the buffer system withdrawn from the reactor in the reactor product stream separate with the heavies stream and are recycled therewith; - wherein the catalyst system comprises a first active catalytic component comprising one or more materials selected from tungsten, molybdenum, lanthanum, tin and compounds and complexes thereof and a second active catalyst component comprising one or more materials selected from transition metals from Groups 8, 9 or 10 or compounds thereof, with catalytic hydrogenation capabilities, and - wherein the heavy organic acid is an acid that remains in the liquid phase when water and C 2 -C 4 glycols are boiled off the reactor product stream, and - wherein the buffer system preferably is based upon one or more of ascorbic acid, benzoic acid, oxalic acid, citric acid, adipic acid, lactic acid and/or glycolic acid, and - wherein the hydrocarbon heavies stream that is separated out from the reactor product stream along with the buffer components comprises C 3+ sugar alcohols and carboxylic acids. - wherein the catalyst system comprises a first active catalytic component comprising one or more materials selected from tungsten, molybdenum, lanthanum, tin and compounds and complexes thereof and a second active catalyst component comprising one or more materials selected from transition metals from Groups 8, 9 or 10 or compounds thereof, with catalytic hydrogenation capabilities, and - wherein the heavy organic acid is an acid that remains in the liquid phase when water and C 2 -C 4 glycols are boiled off the reactor product stream, and - wherein the buffer system preferably is based upon one or more of ascorbic acid, benzoic acid, oxalic acid, citric acid, adipic acid, lactic acid and/or glycolic acid, and - wherein the hydrocarbon heavies stream that is separated out from the reactor product stream along with the buffer components comprises C 3+ sugar alcohols and carboxylic acids.