A method of sustaining an aroma which comprises blending an aroma substance with a cyclic tetrasaccharide or a hydrocarbonate derivative of the cyclic tetrasaccharide aroma-sustaining materials obtained by this method compositions containing the aroma-sustaining materials aroma-sustaining agents having as the active ingredient the cyclic tetrasaccharide or a mixture of the cyclic tetrasaccharide with a hydrocarbonate derivative of the cyclic tetrasaccharide and bactericides with the use of the sustained-releasing effect of the aroma-sustaining materials.