Novel acylated kefiran and its use and production

PURPOSE:To provide the acylated kefiran not gelled at a low temperatures, not inhibiting the addition of an alcohol, giving a stable use touch and suitable for humectants and thickening agents by reacting kefiran with an acid anhydride or a carboxylic acid or its halide. CONSTITUTION:(A) Kefiran preferably having a mol.wt. of >=1000000 or, if necessary, its low mol.wt. product produced by subjecting the kefiran to a hydrolysis, enzymolysis, etc., is reacted with (B) an acid anhydride (preferably succinic anhydride, maleic anhydride), or a carboxylic acid (preferably a 2-6C carboxylic acid) or its halide in an A/B weight ratio of 1/>=0.5 under conditions comprising a pH of >=7 and a temperature of 5-50 deg.C to produce the objective acylated kefiran in which the OH groups of glucose and galactose, the constituting unit components of the component A, are partially acylated. The acylated kefiran is added as an active ingredient to provide a humectant or thickening agent having an excellent moisture retaining property and a stable use touch.