Crystalline maltitol powder less prone to consolidation and method for production thereof

Abstract

[Object] It is intended to provide a crystalline maltitol powder less prone to consolidation, which is free from the formation of a lump during delivery or storage thereof, does not require pulverization or re-classification in use, is easy to handle in transfer, package opening, addition or mixing to another food material, and so on, and allows for automated transportation and so on. [Means for solving the object] The crystalline maltitol powder less prone to consolidation is obtained by charging crystalline or powdery maltitol into a shelf type dryer, a tunnel-type dryer, a cylindrical container, or the like and subjecting the equipment or container to a treatment wherein an air having a temperature of 30 to 33° C. and a relative humidity of 5% is allowed to flow into the equipment or container from one side thereof and withdrawn out of the other side thereof at a space velocity of 11 to 12 for consecutive 24 hours. Even when the relative humidity is 45%, the crystalline maltitol powder less prone to consolidation can be obtained by combining therewith other conditions such as an appropriate space velocity of the feed of air and an appropriate treatment duration.