Starch

Starch (denpun) is a type of high-molecular-weight compound that plants produce through photosynthesis, made up mainly of many glucose molecules bonded together. Starch consists of two components, amylose and amylopectin, which have a linear structure and a branched structure, respectively. In the sake brewing process, the starch in rice is broken down into glucose by the action of saccharifying enzymes, and this glucose becomes an important basis for fermentation. The processes of starch breakdown and fermentation are key to creating the flavor and aroma of sake.