Why is storing raw poultry above ready-to-eat food dangerous, even inside sealed containers on both?

Explanation

Storing raw poultry above ready-to-eat food is dangerous because a leak, spill, or condensation drip can carry Salmonella and Campylobacter down onto food that will not be cooked again. That is why raw poultry belongs on the bottom shelf regardless of packaging. Shelf position does not govern evaporator airflow, cooler shelves are not required to be labeled in cook-temperature order, and odor transfer is a quality complaint, not the hazard: proper storage order is a physical barrier against cross-contamination.