The present invention relates to direct compressible crystalline or semi-crystalline trehalose solids having a crystal form selected from the group consisting of trehalose dihydrate and mixtures of trehalose dihydrate and anhydrous trehalose, and having a specific surface area of at least 0.25 m.sup.2/g and products or tablets containing these. A process for preparing said solids comprises heating a solution of trehalose and applying shear and cooling. The trehalose solids can be applied in food, pharma and cosmetics and tablets prepared from said trehalose solids have improved tensile strength.