The present invention is a process of manufacture of one or more
polysaccharide beads, comprising generating an aerosol of an aqueous
polysaccharide solution, cooling the droplets of said aerosol in air to
initiate gelling thereof and collecting droplets as gelled beads in a
liquid or on a surface, characterised by adding a hydrophilic vapour
pressure-lowering agent to said polysaccharide solution.