In a walk-in cooler, four raw items are arriving on the same delivery: whole salmon, ground beef, whole pork loin, and a tray of fresh-cut romaine. From TOP shelf to BOTTOM shelf, what is the correct storage order?

Explanation

California Retail Food Code HSC §114065 requires raw animal foods to be stored below ready-to-eat foods and in order of ascending minimum required cooking temperature, top to bottom. Ready-to-eat (romaine, never cooked) sits highest. Then raw items are stacked so the one needing the LOWEST cook temperature is highest (so any drip falls onto food that will be cooked to a higher killing temperature). The CRFC cook temperatures are: fish/salmon = 145°F for 15 seconds, intact pork = 145°F (often grouped with fish), ground beef = 155°F for 17 seconds, and poultry (not in this question) = 165°F. The correct order is therefore: romaine (top) > salmon (145°F) > pork (145°F; placed below salmon because pork drip onto fish is a stronger Trichinella/Salmonella concern than the reverse) > ground beef (155°F, lowest). If raw poultry were present it would go on the very bottom (165°F). Options A and D place raw meat above produce, which is a top exam violation. Option B places ground beef above pork which inverts the cook-temperature rule.