What is the best practice for food storage in a refrigerator?

Keeping ready-to-eat foods above raw foods in the refrigerator is an essential practice for preventing cross-contamination. This practice ensures that any juices or drips from raw foods, such as meats or seafood, do not contaminate foods that are ready to eat and will not be cooked before consumption, such as salads or cooked meals. This layering helps maintain food safety by reducing the risk of foodborne illness caused by pathogens that can thrive in raw products.

In the context of food storage, it is essential to segregate food items based on safety considerations. For instance, raw meats should typically be stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator to prevent them from dripping onto other foods. Although clustering similar food types together can be useful in organizing the fridge, it does not inherently address safety concerns related to cross-contamination. Therefore, focusing on the placement relative to food safety standards, such as keeping ready-to-eat items above raw food, is the best practice in this situation.