The invention provides a process for the preparation of racemic amino acids, characterized in that an acylamino acid of the general formula R-CH(NH-CO-R)COOH wherein R is hydrogen, a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl radical that has from 1 to 7 carbon atoms and that may contain substituents such as a hydroxyl, alkyloxy or alkylthio group; and R is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; is heated in the presence of water, in a pressure-resistant vessel, to a temperature in the range from 110 DEG C to 220 DEG C and is hydrolyzed.