What is the recommended refrigerator storage order to prevent cross-contamination?

• A. Poultry at bottom, then ground meats, then fish, then ready-to-eat items on top.
• B. Fish on top, then ready-to-eat foods, then poultry, then whole meats.
• C. Ready-to-eat foods on top, then fish, then whole meats, then ground meats, then poultry.
• D. Ready-to-eat foods on top, then fish, then ground meats, then whole meats, then poultry.

Answer: (C)

Storing refrigerated items in a top-to-bottom order that ranks foods by the level of contamination risk helps prevent cross-contamination. Ready-to-eat foods belong on the top shelf because they won’t be cooked again, so they’re kept away from raw juices. Next comes fish, then whole cuts of meat, then ground meats, and poultry at the bottom. Ground meats have more surface area and can spread bacteria more easily, so they’re placed below whole cuts but above poultry. Poultry carries the highest risk of pathogens, so keeping it on the bottom minimizes contact with other foods. This arrangement matches the recommended practice and reduces the chance that pathogens from raw animal products contaminate ready-to-eat foods.