One of the best things about the weather getting warmer is the selection of fresh fruit that's back in season. So long “meh” grapes and hello sweet strawberries!
Of course, enjoying all of this bounty comes with making sure that our fruit and vegetables are clean. Videos of people washing their strawberries in salt and seeing tiny bugs come out of them went viral last year, which had us wondering—how exactly do we avoid that? No one wants to imagine that insects are living inside their fruit salad, so how exactly do you remove bugs from your berries?
Yes, There Are Bugs in Your Strawberries
Produce comes from the ground so some amount of debris, dirt, and yes, bugs, is normal. The good news is that none of these critters should be harmful to your health.
“On occasion, folks might buy large flats of strawberries for jam. If fruit flies are an issue, the best approach is to rinse the fruit like usual and skim any larvae off the surface once the fruit comes to a boil,” says plant ecologist and food writer, Heather Ardnt Anderson.
Soaking strawberries in a saltwater solution will indeed cause any hidden pests to emerge. According to Cornell University, placing berries in a solution of 1 tablespoon of salt in 1 cup of water for 15 minutes will extract larvae that's been nesting in the fruit. Give the berries a good thorough rinse to remove any lingering saltiness and those unwelcome guests.
After stocking up on your berries, you might wonder what’s the best way to keep those juicy beauties from turning moldy and help them last longer. We reached out to the fruit experts at Driscoll for their take.
The Best Way to Wash Strawberries, According to Driscoll
As with all fresh produce, Driscoll recommends rinsing berries thoroughly under cool water and using a clean cloth to scrub the surface, if necessary.
The Food and Drug Administration agrees, advising consumers to only use water and a vegetable brush to remove any dirt or potential unseen pathogens. They don't recommend special vegetable washes or soaps.
When Anderson washes her berries, she also keeps it simple. “My favorite way to wash them is just soak them in a bowl of cold water and give them a gentle shake to knock any dirt loose. The dirt and other debris sinks to the bottom and then you can scoop the berries out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a clean kitchen towel to let them air dry," she says. "It’s always best to store fruit unwashed to prevent mold. Just wash before eating."
How to Store Berries to Keep Them Fresh Longer
Always refrigerate your strawberries immediately and keep them as dry as possible. Additional moisture creates a breeding ground for bacteria to thrive in, so make sure to eliminate it. That may mean using paper towels or clean cloth to absorb any additional condensation or rinsing the berries only when you’re ready to enjoy them.
Driscoll also recommends berries reach room temperature before serving to enhance their natural flavors.
According to Cornell University, placing berries in a solution of 1 tablespoon of salt in 1 cup of water for 15 minutes will extract larvae that's been nesting in the fruit. Give the berries a good thorough rinse to remove any lingering saltiness and those unwelcome guests.
Wash your strawberries in salt water to remove bugs and dirt. Let them soak for a few minutes to ensure all insects are dislodged before rinsing the berries clean.
“Strawberries are hand-picked and packed in the field, directly into the 'clamshell' containers. Because of this, an occasional bug or worm is not unusual, and may find its way into a package and go undetected until the berries are ready for use. No one else handles or touches the berries again until opened by you.”
To prevent pests from reaching your strawberry plants, you can create a barrier by covering them with floating row covers. Sprinkling diatomaceous earth just around the plant bases is another idea. Lastly, try surrounding them with companion plants such as onions or garlic. These deter pests with their pungent aroma.
Mix together 1 part salt and 9 parts water in a clean bowl or sanitized sink. Then add the fruits and vegetables you want to clean. Let the produce soak for 20 to 30 minutes. Doing this will help remove most of the pesticides, and has been shown to draw out bugs as well.
Gently rinse each fresh strawberry under cold, running water to remove any dirt or grit before eating. Washing strawberries with soap, detergent or commercial produce wash is not recommended.
A sample of strawberries should be checked on a light box for insects and possible leaf miners. If any insects are found then the rest of the strawberries must be checked individually, one by one on a light box.
Apply straw mulch over strawberry plants in the late fall to prevent winter injury. Mulch saves the plants from drying out or being killed by cold winter temperatures. It also retains soil moisture the following spring and summer.
Birds – to prevent birds eating the fruit, build a framework of bamboo canes over the plants and cover with netting or chicken wire as soon as the berries start to ripen. Wire mesh will also deter squirrels.
The two most common are 1,3-Dichloropropene (1,3-D) and chloropicrin, both of which are banned in the EU. The applications are quite a sight to see: Every fall, fields are tilled, sprayed, and then covered with giant tarps.
Use apple cider or white vinegar for a 10-15 minute soak. Then rinse the fruit well. The benefit of baking soda (besides not having any kind of vinegar smell or taste lingering) is that it removes pesticides.
Fruit flies are drawn toward rotting fruit or fementing liquids. They are repelled by strong yet pleasant fragrances. Lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, clove and basil herbs and essential oils can be effective in detering and preventing fruit flies: Place herbal tea bags around your kitchen.
The best way to clean strawberries is under the sink faucet, whether in a colander or in your hands, running cold tap water over them gently for 10 to 20 seconds. According to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), cold water removes anywhere from 75 to 80 percent of pesticide residue from produce.
The results suggest that soaking strawberries in a 3% vinegar or 3% salt solution and rinsing them with running water is the recommended way to remove these four insecticides from strawberries during household washing.
A fruit fly called Spotted Wing Drosophila lays eggs in fruit as it ripens on the plant. Spraying with products that include the insecticide spinosad is the best defense against these troublemakers.
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Introduction: My name is Madonna Wisozk, I am a attractive, healthy, thoughtful, faithful, open, vivacious, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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