SOLVENT REMOVAL METHOD

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for removing solvent which has been used in production of sucrose aromatic carboxylic acid ester, by which sucrose aromatic carboxylic acid ester having substantially no coloration and extremely small amount of the residual solvent can be easily obtained.SOLUTION: The method for removing a solvent which has been used in production of sucrose aromatic carboxylic acid ester comprises a series of reduced pressure drying steps in which one or more reduced-pressure dryers dry a mixture containing the sucrose aromatic carboxylic acid ester and the solvent under reduced pressure by changing pressure and/or heating temperature in the dryers by at least two stages or more, where pressure in the dryer at a first stage of the reduced pressure drying steps is equal to or less than atmospheric pressure and heating temperature therein is 20°C or more and 250°C or less, and pressure in the dryer at the last stage of the reduced pressure drying steps is 10 kPa abs or less and heating temperature therein is 80°C or more and 250°C or less.