Discoveries from several archaeological sites indicate that prehistoric people took advantage of fermentation to enhance the taste of food and preserve it. For instance, archaeologists studying pottery jars from a Neolithic village in China found that a fermented beverage made from honey, fruit, and rice was being produced as early as ${}7000$ BC. It is likely that humans first learned about this process by accident—such as by drinking fermented old grape juice or curdled old milk—before purposefully harnessing fermentation to make products like wine, bread, and cheese.