Mixtures of sunflower oil and a straight run gas oil in the diesel fuel range were hydroprocessed over sulfided NiO(3%)-MoO 3(12%)-γ-Al 2O 3 incorporating 0, 15 or 30wt.% zeolite beta (BEA). The studies were carried out at 320-350°C; 30-60bars, and weight hourly space velocities (WHSV), 1-4h -1. Catalyst containing 30% BEA achieved nearly 100 % conversion of the vegetable oil into hydrocarbons at 330°C, 60 bars and a WHSV of 2h -1 compared to 95.5% by the Ni-Mo-γ-alumina catalyst without BEA. Hydroprocessing with blends containing oleic acid revealed that the catalysts were able to transform the acid into hydrocarbons. An analysis of the ratios of the n-C 18 and n-C 17 paraffins formed from the vegetable oil at different process conditions revealed that the catalyst containing 15% BEA was most active for hydrodeoxygenation. The gas oil-hydrodesulfurization activity of the Ni-Mo-Al 2O 3 was enhanced by the addition of BEA by more than 10%. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.