Exopolysaccharide (EPS) elaborated by Rhizobium meliloti JJ-1 in a manganese supplemented medium was isolated. Periodate oxidation, reduction with sodium borohydride, followed by hydrolysis and subsequent capillary gas liquid chromatography of the derived alditol acetates revealed that D-galactose in this complex biopolymer is in furanoid form. This observation was further confirmed by 13carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR).