As a general rule, raw food should always be stored below everything else in the fridge, so cooked food should be kept above it if you have both in your fridge. This is mainly to prevent the raw food, meat in particular, from dripping down onto any other ingredient, which could cause food poisoning.
Always store ready-to-eat foods on the top shelf to prevent possible cross-contamination of bacteria from raw foods. Arrange other shelves by cooking temperatures (highest cooking temperature on the bottom). Thermometers: Keep at least one accurate thermometer in the warmest part of the refrigerator.
Store raw food separately from cooked food
Always store raw food in sealed or covered containers at the bottom of the fridge. Keep raw foods below cooked foods, to avoid liquid such as meat juices dripping down and contaminating the cooked food.
1. Store raw food like meat, poultry, fish, sausages, bacon etc., in the bottom part of the fridge so that juices cannot drip on foods below. 2. Store ready-to-eat foods such as cooked meats, pies and dairy products such as cheese, butter, cream and yoghurt in the top part of the fridge.
The top shelf of the fridge usually has the most consistent temperature. Store ready-to-eat foods here, as well as leftovers and drinks. Dairy products, like milk and yoghurt, are also well-placed on the top shelf of the fridge. Often, the bottom shelf is the coldest part of the fridge.
Keep your appliances at the proper temperatures.
Keep the refrigerator temperature at or below 40° F (4° C). The freezer temperature should be 0° F (-18° C). Check temperatures periodically. Appliance thermometers are the best way of knowing these temperatures and are generally inexpensive.
STORE REFRIGERATED FOOD IN THE PROPER ORDER. From top to bottom, store food in this order: ready-to-eat food, seafood, whole cuts of beef and pork, ground meat and seafood, and whole and ground poultry. CHECK THE TEMPERATURE OF FOODS STORED IN COOLERS AND FREEZERS REGULARLY.
your fridge should be between 0 and 5°C and your freezer should be around -18°C. keep chilled food out of the fridge for the shortest time possible during preparation (a maximum of four hours) eat leftovers within two days or freeze if you think this won't be possible.
Raw meat, poultry and fish should be stored in the following top-to-bottom order in the refrigerator: whole fish, whole cuts of beef and pork, ground meats and fish, and whole and ground poultry. Wrap food properly before storing it.
In the low-humidity drawer, store anything that releases ethylene and rots easily. The open vents will allow the produce to "breathe," preventing premature spoilage and making your food last. Almost all fruits, with the exception of berries and watermelon, should be stored here, including unripe avocados.
Typically, the back and bottom of the fridge is the coldest part. This is because cold air sinks down, and the back of the fridge is farthest from the door. It's different for fridges with ice-making compartments at the top, which make the top colder.
The temperature in a refrigerator should be 40 °F or below throughout the unit, so that any place is safe for storage of any food. Raw meat, poultry, and seafood should be in a sealed container or wrapped securely to prevent raw juices from contaminating other foods.
“In order to maintain proper ventilation, Whirlpool Corporation does not recommend placing food or other items on top of a refrigerator,” Parks says.
Because bread's inherent moisture is part of what makes it so delicious, putting bread in any dry environment will expedite its aging (and staling) process. If you want your bread to last as long as possible and not dry out, absolutely do not store it in the fridge.
But where in the fridge matters. Milk, no matter if it's whole or skim, is best kept at around 37°F, which, depending on your fridge, usually means somewhere in the back on a lower shelf. You may need to store the milk on its side so that it fits easily. Avoid keeping milk in one of the door's shelves.
Hot air rises, making the top shelf the warmest spot in the fridge – good for fruit, vegetables and less perishable items. Because cold air settles, the bottom shelf is generally the coldest place in the fridge and is ideal for storing meats, fish and poultry.
Store different foods in the correct areas of the fridge.
Store ready-to-eat foods such as cheese, yoghurt, cooked meats and leftovers on the middle and top shelves. Put raw meat, fish and poultry in sealed containers on the bottom shelf so they don't touch each other or drip onto other foods.
As a general rule, raw food should always be stored below everything else in the fridge, so cooked food should be kept above it if you have both in your fridge. This is mainly to prevent the raw food, meat in particular, from dripping down onto any other ingredient, which could cause food poisoning.