Abstract: It has been found that a hot-melt adhesive composition can be prepared by mixing a starch product, urea and optionally water are mixed with each other to obtain a homogeneous composition, the starch product/urea weight ratio being selected within the range of 3/1-3/97 and the amount of water present being 3-20 wt. %, based on the amount of starch product +urea, and which mixing may or may not be carried out with heating, but an oxidative treatment is omitted. Moreover, a hot-melt adhesive composition has been found which essentially comprises the above components in the above weight ratio and amount. The composition obtained according to the invention is solid at room temperature but becomes fluid at elevated temperature and can particularly be used in the manufacture of packagings and nonwoven articles.