What is the correct storage order for refrigerating food?

The correct storage order for refrigerating food is significant for preventing cross-contamination and ensuring food safety. Storing ready-to-eat foods at the top of the refrigerator minimizes the risk of drips from raw meats contaminating them. Following this, placing seafood next ensures any juices will not contaminate other foods, while whole cuts of beef and pork are stored below, as they carry a lower risk compared to ground meats and poultry. Ground meats should come next because they have a higher risk of bacterial contamination, and raw poultry, which carries the highest risk, should be at the bottom. This hierarchy helps to manage the risk of foodborne illnesses by ensuring that the safest foods are on top and the most hazardous are stored beneath, where any potential drips would not contaminate other items.