"A process for the preparation of palatinitol, wherein in a first stage, the epimerization of isomaltose is carried out under conditions which allow a mixture of .alpha.-D-glucopyranosyl-(1.fwdarw.6)-D-mannose and isomaltose to be obtained, in a second stage, the epimerized mixture is depleted of isomaltose so as to obtain a new mixture containing a roughly equimolecular proportion of .alpha.-D-glucopyranosyl-(1.fwdarw.6)-D-mannose and isomaltose, and in a third stage, catalytic hydrogenation is carried out on this roughly eqimolar mixture".