Bread is one of the earliest processed foods prepared by humankind. The first leavened breads were obtained by the Sumerians by mixing fermented brews with unleavened wheat dough; afterward, the Egyptians perfected the process and spread bread making to other cultures. Throughout the centuries, bread was a substantial part of daily food, and its scarcity often generated riots and revolutions. The empirical knowledge acquired through the ages was conveyed to successive civilizations, but in-depth understanding of the different bread making factors is recent, and progress continues to be made in several aspects to improve the technological and nutritional quality of bread.