Food preservation techniques were developed by ancient cultures to safely store food supplies and diminish the need to constantly hunt and gather. Proper preservation prevents pathogenic bacterial growth, maintains food quality by inhibiting spoilage, and saves money by extending a food's expiration date. Common preservation methods include temperature control through cooling, freezing and boiling, curing meat via drying, salting and smoking, and fermenting foods using pickling and sugaring. Modern techniques also utilize canning, pasteurization, irradiation and adding preservative chemicals.