Production of low color middle distillate fuels

In a process for producing a low color diesel and/or kerosene fuel, a middle distillate feed can be supplied to a reactor having at least one first catalyst bed containing a first desulfurization and/or isomerization catalyst and at least one second catalyst bed containing a decolorization catalyst downstream from the first catalyst bed(s). The feed can be reacted with the hydrogen in the presence of the first catalyst at a temperature from about 290°C to about 430°C to produce a first liquid effluent, which can be cooled by about 10°C to about 40°C with a quench medium and cascaded to the at least one second catalyst bed. The cooled first liquid effluent can then be reacted with hydrogen in the presence of the decolorization catalyst at a temperature from about 280°C to about 415°C to produce a second effluent having an ASTM color less than 2.5.