Fermentasi telah ada sejak jamanzaman prasejarah. Bukti paling awal fermentasi makanan ada pada [[minuman beralkohol]] yang terbuat dari [[buah]], [[beras]], dan [[madu]], bertanggal 7000-6600 SM di [[Jiahu]], [[China]],<ref name="mcgovern">{{Cite doi|10.1073/pnas.0407921102}}</ref> dan [[anggur (minuman)|minuman anggur]] sejak 6000 SM di [[Georgia]].<ref name=Ref1>{{cite web |url=http://www.stonepages.com/news/archives/000498.html |title=8,000-year-old wine unearthed in Georgia|accessdate=2007-01-28 |date=2003-12-28 |work= |publisher=The Independent}}</ref> Kendi berusia 7000 tahun berisi sisa minuman anggur ditemukan di [[Pegunungan Zagros]], [[Iran]] dan disimpan di [[Universitas Pennsylvania]].<ref name=Ref2>{{cite web |url=http://www.museum.upenn.edu/new/research/Exp_Rese_Disc/NearEast/wine.shtml |title=Now on display ... world's oldest known wine jar |accessdate=2007-01-28 |work= }}</ref> Diperkirakan bangsa [[Babilonia]] memfermentasikan minuman sejak tahun 3000 SM,<ref name=FAO>{{cite web |url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/x0560e/x0560e05.htm |title=Fermented fruits and vegetables. A global perspective |accessdate=2007-01-28 |work=FAO Agricultural Services Bulletins - 134|archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070119162605/http%3A//www.fao.org/docrep/x0560e/x0560e05.htm |archivedate = January 19, 2007|deadurl=yes}}</ref> [[Mesir Kuno]] sekitar 3150 SM,<ref name=Cavalieri>{{cite journal |quotes= |last=Cavalieri |first=D |authorlink= |coauthors=McGovern P.E., Hartl D.L., Mortimer R., Polsinelli M. |year=2003 |title=Evidence for S. cerevisiae fermentation in ancient wine. |journal=Journal of Molecular Evolution |volume=57 Suppl 1 |issue= |pages=S226–32 |id=15008419 |url=http://www.oeb.harvard.edu/hartl/lab/publications/pdfs/Cavalieri-03-JME.pdf|format=|accessdate=2007-01-28|doi=10.1007/s00239-003-0031-2 |pmid= 15008419 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070417174619/http%3A//www.oeb.harvard.edu/hartl/lab/publications/pdfs/Cavalieri-03-JME.pdf |archivedate = April 17, 2007|deadurl=yes}}</ref> Meksiko Kuno sekitar 2000 SM,<ref name=FAO/> dan [[Sudan]] sekitar 1500 SM.<ref name=Dirar>Dirar, H., (1993), The Indigenous Fermented Foods of the Sudan: A Study in African Food and Nutrition, CAB International, UK</ref>
[[Louis Pasteur]] merupakan pakar Zymologist pertama di dunia, ketika pada tahun 1856 ia menghubungkan keberadaan ragi terhadap proses fermentasi.<ref>{{cite web|title=Fermentation|url=http://www.coe.uga.edu/ttie/documents/biotech.pdf}}</ref> Pasteur pada awalnya mendefinisikan fermentais sebagai proses "respirasi tanpa udara". Pasteur juga menemukan bahwa fermentasi sejalan dengan perkembang biakan mikroorganisme di dalam makanan.
