What role does the immune system play in food safety?

The immune system's primary function is to defend the body against illness and infections, including those that can arise from consuming contaminated food. When a person eats food that contains harmful pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites, the immune system activates to identify and eliminate these foreign invaders. This process helps prevent foodborne illnesses, allowing the body to recover from infections caused by unsafe food consumption.

The other options relate to aspects of food safety management but do not involve the immune system. For instance, regulating food storage temperatures and managing contamination sources are primarily the responsibilities of food handlers and safety protocols, aimed at preventing pathogens from entering food supplies in the first place. Similarly, ensuring proper food handling practices is essential for food safety but focuses on external measures rather than the internal protective roles that the immune system plays within the human body.