History of Fermentation
History of fermentation
Japanese: 発酵の歴史
Humanity's relationship with fermentation spans thousands of years—from accidental discovery through empirical technique to modern scientific understanding.
The oldest fermented food is thought to be alcohol brewed in China around 7000 BCE. Mesopotamia had beer and bread; Egypt had wine. In Japan, sake-making began with rice cultivation in the Yayoi period, and hishio appeared in Nara-period records. For millennia, fermentation relied on experience and intuition. In the 19th century, Pasteur proved the existence of microorganisms, establishing fermentation as a science. Driven by both empirical and scientific knowledge, fermentation continues to evolve.