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A process for preparing 6-hydroxy-2,6-dimethylheptanal defined by one of the structures: ##STR16## comprising the steps of (1) forming an emulsion of 2,6-dimethyl-5-heptenal with water using an emulsifying agent which is an alkali metal salt of a long chain fatty acid; (2) reacting sodium sulfite with the 2,6-dimethyl-5-heptenal in the presence of boric acid while it is in the emulsion whereby a sulfite-aldehyde addition salt of 2,6-dimethyl-5-heptenal is formed, the reaction taking place at a temperature of between 10° C. and 50° C., the mole ratio of sodium sulfite:2,6-dimethyl-5-heptenal varying between 1:1 up to 10:1; the concentration of sodium sulfite in the reaction mass being from 0.1 molar up to 3.0 molar and the concentration of 2,6-dimethyl-5-heptenal being from 0.5 molar up to 2.0 molar; and (3) hydrolyzing the resulting sulfite-aldehyde addition salt of 2,6-dimethyl-5-heptenal with hydrochloric acid using from 10% up to 50% hydrochloric acid, the mole ratio of HCl:sulfite addition salt of 2,6-dimethyl-6-hydroxy-heptanal being 0.5:1 up to 1.5:1 with the reaction temperature for the hydrolysis reaction varying from 0° C. up to 50° C.