Fermentation is a historical food preservation practice deeply rooted within human culture and central to nutrition, health, and identity worldwide. Ethnic fermented foods, fabricated by microbial process, not just add flavor and texture but include probiotics as well as degenerate anti-nutrients. Present in multiple regions—East Asian miso and kimchi, African porridges that are fermented, and European milk products—fermented foods manifest local ecologies and culinary preferences. Microbial diversity in fermented foods, shaped by local raw materials and local environmental conditions, greatly determines their sensory qualities and health effects. Fermentation in the past arose as a food preservation and trade necessity and continues to be applicable even after industrialized food processing. Today, renewed interest in probiotics and traditional foodways has spurred a revival of fermentation and widened its international appeal. Food culture globalization has resulted in the innovation and transformation of the traditional fermented food, opening up new market spaces but posing challenges in terms of maintaining authenticity, microbial diversity, and food safety. With the unfolding of fermentation, the development of equilibrium between tradition and contemporary requirements is central in maintaining the cultural and ecological value of fermented food under globalization.