Abstract: It is possible to prepare cationic derivatives of fructans, such as inulin, in which a nitrogen atom having substituents R1, R2 and R3 is bonded to one or more anhydrofructose units via a straight-chain or branched C2-C6 alkylene group, which is optionally preceded by a carbonyl group or interrupted by one or two oxygen atoms or imino or alkylimino groups and optionally substituted by one or two hydroxyl groups or amine groups or a carboxyl or carbamoyl group, the substituents R1, R2 and R3 having the following meaning: R1 and R2 each represent hydrogen, methyl carboxymethyl, phosphonomethyl, ethyl, hydroxyethyl, propyl, isopropyl, allyl, hydroxypropyl or dihydroxypropyl or, together with the nitrogen atom, form a cyclic group, R3 represents hydrogen, C1-C18 alkyl, C3-C18 alkenyl, alkynyl or cycloalkyl, C4-C18 cycloalkyl-alkyl or C7-C18 aralkyl or is bondedvia an alkylene group to an oxygen atom of a subsequent anhydrofructose unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the fermentative preparation of lactic acid, by allowing a sterilized growth medium to be continuously fermented in a reaction vessel by a culture of bacilli of the genus Bacillus, which form lactic acid, keeping the pH of the reaction mixture at 3 to 9 with an aqueous solution of XOH (where X is NH.sub.4 or a metal whose hydroxide and whose salt of lactic acid are watersoluble), subjecting the fermented reaction mixture to an ultrafiltration, recycling the retentate to the reaction vessel, and concentrating the permeate and subsequently subjecting it to an electrodialysis wherein bipolar membranes are used, in which process the lactate is decomposed into the lactic acid and XOH.