The present document describes a process for the preparation of a lowfunctionalization polysaccharide havingcarboxyl groups, comprising a) swelling of a polysaccharide granule in boilingwater or a water/polyol mixture, to obtain a swollenpolysaccharide； b) partial gelatinization of said swollen polysaccharide in analkaline solvent mixture of water and alcohol and/orpolyol, to obtain a partially gelatinized polysaccharide； and c) partialfunctionalization of said partially gelatinized polysaccharidewith a functionalizing agent, to obtain the low functionalizationpolysaccharide.
