Food safety is important to prevent foodborne illness that can harm individuals and communities. Following the four steps of clean, separate, cook, and chill can help reduce foodborne illness. Clean means washing hands and surfaces thoroughly. Separate means avoiding cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods. Cook means ensuring foods reach a safe internal temperature. Chill means refrigerating foods promptly and keeping refrigerators at 40°F or below. Together these steps play a key role in food safety.