Ancient fermentation

Fermentation has been known and practiced by humankind since prehistoric times, long before the underlying scientific principles were understood.

There is evidence that pure or almost pure yeast could be made by 1500 BC in Egypt. The practical knowledge that fermentation could be produce by human saliva, certain animal fluids and the like, was much older.

The most primitive methodology utilizes chewing the grains to introduce saliva as a source of amylase to hydrolyze the starch to sugar and has been use for centuries.

Fermentation of grains into alcoholic drinks arose independently in China and in the West. Thousands of years ago in Egypt, wheat grains/flour were made into lightly baked bread that was then moistened with water and fermented to a primitive beer – bouza.
Ancient fermentation