Step 1: Define food safety. Food safety refers to the practices followed at every stage of handling food, from growing and processing to cooking and serving, so that it does not cause illness or harm when eaten. It covers cleanliness, correct storage temperatures, and protecting food from contamination by bacteria, chemicals or foreign matter.
Step 2: Role of FSSAI. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is the national body responsible for making sure food sold across the country meets these safety standards, mainly through two mechanisms.
Step 3: Setting and enforcing standards. FSSAI fixes clear limits for additives, preservatives, contaminants and permitted ingredients in food products. Food businesses are legally required to stay within these limits, which keeps unsafe substances out of the food people buy.
Step 4: Licensing and inspection. Every food business, from a street vendor to a large manufacturer, must register for or obtain an FSSAI licence to operate legally, and FSSAI backs this up with regular inspections and audits so that businesses failing to meet hygiene and safety requirements can be identified and corrected.
Together, setting enforceable standards and licensing plus inspecting food businesses are the two main ways FSSAI ensures the food reaching consumers is safe to eat.