In a walk-in cooler, how should raw foods be arranged on shelves to prevent cross-contamination, from top to bottom?
Explanation
Foods are stored top to bottom in order of increasing required cooking temperature: ready-to-eat foods on top, then whole seafood and steaks (145°F), then ground meat (155°F), with raw poultry (165°F) on the bottom (FDA Food Code §3-302.11). Poultry goes on the bottom precisely because it is cooked hottest, so putting raw chicken on top inverts the rule and lets its juices drip onto food that will be cooked less or eaten raw. Covering and dating containers is required for other reasons but does not remove the risk of drips, spills, and leaking packaging. Grouping the raw meats on the top shelf still leaves raw juices above ready-to-eat food.
Law Reference: FDA Food Code §3-302.11Practice all 500 questions free — no signup required.
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