Ethanol fermentation from the chemically gelatinized starchy material was examined. The critical concentration of sodium hydroxide solution for gelatinization was dependent on the species of starch; 0.4M for potato and 0.6M for tapioca at room temperature. For alcohol fermention the starchy material was gelatinized by addition of sodium hydroxide solution, neutralized by sulfuric acid, and then yeast was added. The amount of $CO_2$ evolved during ethanol fermentation indicates that non-fermentable material was not produced from the starch by chemical gelatinization. In ethanol fermentation of potato and tapioca starch no significant difference was observed between the thermal and the chemical gelatinization.