Candida magnoliae and its mutants were analyzed to produce erythritol from glucose with high yield and productivity. One mutant, M2, showed higher erythritol conversion yield and productivity than the wild strain. The osmophilic mutant produced 25 g erythritol l(-1) after 83 h of a flask culture in a medium containing 10% (w/v) glucose, corresponding to a 25% increase in erythritol and a 30% increase in erythritol productivity compared with the wild type. The fermentation properties were further improved by cultivating the osmophilic mutant in a fermenter containing 20% (w/v) glucose medium with 0.54 g l(-1) h(-1) of erythritol productivity and 43% of erythritol conversion yield based on glucose.