Four methanol-utilizing yeasts, Candida boidinii, Hansenula polymorpha, Hansenula of unaensis, and Pichia pinus, produced polyols from corresponding sugars in a methanol medium. H. polymorpha produced larger amounts of xylitol than the other yeasts. Productivity was the highest at pH 8 when 5 g (dry)/l cultured cells were incubated with 2.5 g/l urea as the nitrogen source in a medium containing 1% (v/v) methanol and 1 g/l MgSO4. 7H(2)O. Under these conditions, 57 g/l xylitol was obtained from 110 g/l D-xylose after 3 d of cultivation. The largest amount of xylitol (58 g/l; yield, 0.62 g/g) was produced from 125 g/l D-xylose and 5% (w/v) glycerol instead of methanol after 4 d of cultivation.