Liquefaction (ekika)

Liquefaction (ekika) refers to the phenomenon in which a substance changes from a gas to a liquid. It mainly means that when vapor is in a saturated state, lowering its temperature causes part of the vapor to return to liquid form. This process can be controlled by adjusting temperature and pressure. The liquefaction of starch has a different meaning: it refers to the process in which starch is broken down by enzymes such as alpha-amylase and converted into soluble substances. Liquefaction is thus an important concept concerning changes in the state of matter, and in sake brewing in particular, the liquefaction of starch plays an important role as the first step of saccharification.