What is the proper storage order for food items in a refrigerator to prevent cross-contamination?

The proper storage order for food items in a refrigerator is crucial to prevent cross-contamination and ensure food safety. When storing food, the key principle is to place items in a way that minimizes the risk of raw foods dripping onto ready-to-eat items, which could lead to foodborne illness.

In this scenario, ready-to-eat foods should always be stored at the top of the refrigerator. This position ensures that they are least likely to come into contact with juices or drippings from raw meat or raw poultry, which are positioned below them. Raw meat and raw poultry should be stored in separate containers or on separate shelves below ready-to-eat foods to further reduce the risk of contamination. This order maintains a hierarchy of safety, with the most vulnerable items—the ready-to-eat foods—protected from potential contaminants found in raw products.

Thus, option D reflects the safest storage practice by placing ready-to-eat foods at the top, followed by raw meat and then raw poultry, which is generally considered to have a higher risk due to its potential for hosting pathogens. This arrangement minimizes cross-contamination and promotes a safer food handling environment.