Refrigeration plays an important role in keeping food safe. Make sure to follow the shelf order below to properly store foods so they’re safe to eat!

 

• Top shelf: Ready to eat foods, which are foods that have already been cooked or don’t need to be cooked (sterilized). 

• Second shelf: Foods that will be heated up that are not included in other categories. 

• Third shelf: Foods that should be cooked to 145 F, including whole seafood, whole cuts of beef, pork, veal, lamb; roast; and eggs that will be served immediately. 

• Fourth shelf: Eggs that will be heated, ground meats.

• Bottom shelf: Foods with the highest cooking temperature, such as poultry (turkey, duck, chicken, fowl).

 

*Think of this in terms of cross contamination. The foods that are most liable to contaminate others need to be on the lowest shelf.*