Superabsorbents having a coating of an antimicrobial agent are produced by a process that comprises contacting the superabsorbent with a solution comprising the anti-microbial agent and a polyol concurrently with or immediately after contacting it with the surface-crosslinking agent and prior to the curing step that completes surface crosslinking, and/or contacting the superabsorbent with a solution comprising the anti-microbial agent and polyalkylene glycol of a molecular mass between 200 and 5 000 g/mol after completion of surface crosslinking.