The present invention describes a composition comprising at least 55% w/w (onsodium chloride free dry matter weight) of 5'-ribonucleotides and a processfor the production of this composition comprising the steps of: (i) treatingmicrobial cells to release the cell contents comprising RNA; (ii) separatingthe RNA present in the released cell content from other soluble cell material;and (iii) converting the separated RNA into 5'-ribonucleotides.