The fermentation,preparation and rheological properties of the exopolysaccharides(EPS) produced by Bacillus mucilaginosus(SM-01) were investigated.In addition,the effects of shearing rate,EPS concentration,shearing time,temperature,pH,inorganic salts and other polysaccharides on the viscosity of EPS were also studied.The results showed that the maximum yield of EPS in 5L fermentor was 23.46 g/L and the recovery of EPS was up to 76.7% through centrifugation,alcohol precipitation and freeze dehydration.The EPS solution showed a characteristic pseudoplastic non-Newtonian behavior.The viscosity of EPS solution was improved with the concentration increasing and had a good temperature resistance at temperatures from 25℃ to 100℃.The maximum viscosity was observed at pH7.0 and it would become a weak gel at pH12.0.The addition of NaCl,KCl,MgCl2 and CaCl2 remarkably decreased the viscosity.The precipitation in alkali was attained in the presence of high valence cation such as Fe3+ and Pb2+.The EPS had synergy with Sodium alginate,Locust bean gum,Carrageenan,Xanthan gum,Guar gum and Arabia gum.