Disclosed are a method for the reduction of an oligosaccharide mixture and
an oligosaccharide mixture prepared thereby. In accordance with the
disclosed invention, a mixture of oligosaccharides having a given DP
profile is reduced to a DE of essentially zero by catalytically
hydrogenating the mixture under reaction conditions sufficient to
preserve the DP profile of the mixture, which reaction conditions
typically include a reaction temperature ranging from about 50.degree. C.
to about 150.degree. C. and a reaction pressure ranging up to about 1500
psi. Surprisingly, when the mixture is a malto-oligosaccharide mixture,
the reduced mixture will have a superior color-fastness and thermal
stability as compared to a similar unreduced mixture of
malto-oligosaccharides, and also low reactivity towards
nitrogen-containing species.
