To stop cross-contamination in the refrigerator, food should be stored from top to bottom in the following order:

• Top shelf: Ready-to-eat foods such as cooked meats, leftovers, prepared salads, dairy products, and packaged foods. These items should be covered or in sealed containers to prevent contamination.
• Middle shelves: Items like dairy products can also be stored here for better temperature control.
• Lower shelves: Raw seafood should be stored below ready-to-eat foods.
• Bottom shelves: Raw whole cuts of beef and pork, followed by ground meats, and poultry at the lowest level. Raw meat, poultry, and seafood must be stored in covered containers or sealed bags to prevent their juices from dripping onto other foods.

This arrangement ensures that if any juices or drips occur from raw animal products, they will not contaminate foods that are ready to eat or require no further cooking. Additionally, foods should be kept covered at all times to further reduce cross-contamination risk.