Heteropolysaccharide particles are prepared by introducing a heteropolysaccharide solution into a bed of inert beads to which the solution adheres, passing a fluidizing gas through the bed of inert beads thereby fluidizing inert beads and drying the adhered heteropolysaccharide solution to yield solid heteropolysaccharide, which dislodges from the inert beads to give heteropolysaccharide particles and removing the dislodged heteropolysaccharide particles from the bed by means of the fluidizing gas.