Explain the concept of food safety.

The concept of food safety primarily involves the practices and procedures that ensure food is safe to consume by preventing contamination and foodborne illnesses. This encompasses the entire food handling process, from production to preparation, and includes guidelines for proper storage temperatures, sanitation measures, and hygiene practices that reduce the risk of harmful microorganisms and chemicals entering the food supply.

Ensuring food safety means adopting responsible practices in food handling and preparation, such as washing hands, cooking food to safe temperatures, and preventing cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods. These procedures are crucial for protecting public health, as consuming contaminated foods can lead to serious health issues.

While some other concepts, such as the nutritional value of food or food production levels, are important aspects within the broader food system, they do not directly address the immediate concern of safety in terms of hygiene and contamination prevention. Similarly, focusing solely on food expiration dates does not encompass the full scope of food safety, as food can be unsafe even if it is before its expiration date.