Strawberries are one of the earliest berries to hit stores and farmers' markets in spring, and these juicy red orbs are a joy of summer fruit eating. So there's nothing more disappointing than going to eat your berries only to discover mold. It's tempting to just wash off or cut away moldy parts, and consume the rest. But is it safe?
If you find white fluffy stuff on your berries that looks a bit like cotton candy, that is mold. Mold is a fungus with spores that feed on the berries and grow thin threads that can look like fluff or cotton. This particular type of mold is common among fruits and is known as Botrytis fruit rot or gray mold. While moldy strawberries are unlikely to harm you, they can make you sick if you are allergic to molds in general, according to the USDA. And since berries are a soft-fleshed food, unlike apples or pears, it is not safe to simply cut away the moldy part, since the spores have likely gone into the flesh of the berry. If a berry is bruised, but does not show any signs of mold, the bruised part can be trimmed away. A moldy strawberry should be thrown out.
If you happen to accidentally eat a moldy strawberry, you'll know it because, usually, moldy strawberries will have an off flavor that is a bit sour and acidic and may remind you of blue cheese. The off taste is nature's red flag that your red berries are bad, if you missed the visual mold. A small amount of this mold is unlikely to make you sick. If you ate a larger amount, you might have some signs of gastric distress similar to mild food poisoning, but it should resolve on its own, and is not toxic or especially dangerous, just uncomfortable.
If you open a container to discover what looks like one moldy berry but the rest seem fine, discard that berry and any berries in direct contact with it, and then wash the others well before eating. If you have a couple of moldy berries in your container and have removed all of the berries in direct contact with those, you can make a solution of mostly water plus white vinegar to wash the berries. Vinegar kills mold, which is the same reason we recommend using a vinegar and water solution to clean your humidifier. Use one part white vinegar (so you don't pickle your strawberries) to four parts water and soak the berries for five minutes before rinsing well, patting dry and storing. If more than one-quarter of the berries in a container are moldy, just throw it out.
To avoid the mold problem, for starters, choose the freshest berries possible. Berries purchased at a farmers' market will likely be fresher than those at your grocery store. Check sell-by or best-by dates on consumer packaging and look for dates the furthest out. Check packages for signs of juice or moisture, which can indicate that berries on the bottom might have gotten smashed, since damaged berries are more likely to rot and mold.
You want berries that are bright red and shiny, without a dull or matte look, and with the seeds indented into the flesh. They should smell fragrant and sweet. Look for obvious signs of mold at the bottom of the container. You can ask at the farmers' market for them to transfer your berries from their carton into a bag, so that you can see if any are moldy underneath.
At the grocery store, you can transfer the berries to a produce bag to ensure that they are all fresh, and then return them in the bag to the original container to check out. If you do this and find molded berries, bring it to the attention of someone in the produce department, and ask them to help you find another package that is not moldy. Do not open and handle several packages to create your own perfect box of berries.
Bottom line
Strawberries should not be a source of fear, but when it comes to mold on these delicate fruits, be sure to err on the side of caution. Quickly remove and discard any berries that are moldy or are touching moldy berries, wash the rest well, and then dry them before storing to prevent new mold. And if more than a quarter of the berries in your container are moldy, discard the whole batch. If your berries were purchased at a grocery store and you discover the mold the same day, return them to the store, which should either give you a refund or replacement.
If you find mold on one of your strawberries, throw it out along with any other berries that were touching the moldy one. Next, carefully examine the berries you have left. Toss any that are very soft or bruised. If the rest look fresh, give them a thorough rinse and enjoy them.
Mold can penetrate and grow inside the soft flesh of fruit where you can't see it. Consuming moldy food can cause allergic reactions, as well as respiratory problems. When you find a few moldy pieces of fruit inside a container, throw out the moldy fruit and any pieces of fruit that are directly touching them.
Washing your strawberries before storing them is a big no-no. "Strawberries should be kept dry and whole in a sealed container or punnet. Strawberries that are washed and stored are susceptible to going soft and mouldy," says Sonia.
It comes down to moisture… and mold. Berries tend to be quite porous, water-rich and delicately skinned, meaning they soak up excess moisture in their environment very easily. They also pretty much all carry mold spores, which grow rapidly when moisture is plentiful.
What is it and where is it found? Strawberry black spot is an economically important disease of strawberries caused by the fungus Colletotrichum acutatum. The fungus can remain unobserved in strawberry plants until the crucial fruiting period.
The quality is starting to deteriorate once it starts rotting, but it is still possible to consume at this stage. Visible indications of rot include when the skin of the produce changes texture, or the fruit or vegetable starts to get mushy.
If you have mushy strawberries with soft spots, this is another sign that those strawberries are too bad to eat. Whole strawberries that are good to eat should have a firm texture. Soft strawberries or ones with bad spots like this will not be safe to eat.
Since strawberries will begin to rot after a few days on the counter, if you plan to make your berries last for longer, they need to be in the refrigerator. Once they are stored, they'll last anywhere from five to seven days.
Mushy strawberries may be safe to eat, but they are not in their best form, which makes discarding them sometimes appealing. This brings us to the science of why strawberries become mushy. Strawberries are made up of high water content, and it contributes to their firmness and shape.
Moisture is an enemy of the fresh strawberry. The inclination may be to store them in airtight containers, but strawberries will rot more quickly when the moisture is trapped inside. Even the plastic containers in which many grocery store strawberries are packed are a bad choice for refrigerator storage.
Vinegar is supposed to kill any potential spores of bacteria on the fruit. Mix together a cup of vinegar and three cups of water in a large bowl.Add strawberries and let them sit in the rinse for several minutes.
Strawberries are a delicate fruit and like it dry and cool. Moisture and heat promotes mold and spoiling more quickly. Do not rinse strawberries until you're ready to use them. Rinsing or washing strawberries will make them go bad faster.
A few moldy berries don't mean you have to throw out the whole batch. Dr. Rajapakse says to throw out the ones that look visibly moldy as well as any that might have been in direct contact. "If more than about a quarter of the berries are moldy, you're probably best off getting rid of all of those berries.
Because molds on berries are usually innocuous, even accidentally eating a moldy berry — though not recommended — would be unlikely to make you sick, Dr. Mitcham said. Also, “you would probably spit it out before you managed to swallow it,” because moldy berries “have a very off, very bad flavor,” she added.
Place in air-tight glassware: Transfer unwashed strawberries into a glass food storage container or mason jar and make sure it's sealed tight. Paper towel method: Place a clean, dry paper towel in a container and put unwashed strawberries on top. Close the lid and place the container in the refrigerator.
A moldy strawberry may appear discolored, have dark spots, or may have green or white patches of moldy parts. Hopefully if you do see mold, it is limited to a couple of moldy berries and it hasn't spread to the whole bunch. If so, you can just throw those rotten strawberries out and enjoy the remaining berries.
Unless you are immunocompromised or eat very large quantities of mold, you will probably be OK. But watch for any symptoms, the experts note. If you feel fine, you can proceed as normal. If you develop severe gastrointestinal symptoms or signs of an allergic reaction, seek medical attention.
Mushy strawberries may be safe to eat, but they are not in their best form, which makes discarding them sometimes appealing. This brings us to the science of why strawberries become mushy. Strawberries are made up of high water content, and it contributes to their firmness and shape.
The infected fruit spot is at first a light brown color and somewhat soft in texture. As the entire berry becomes infected, the rotted area becomes firm and turns a darker brown color. Fruits soon "mummify" and, like the blossoms, become covered with a gray, dusty powder which are the spores of the Botrytis fungus.
Introduction: My name is Terence Hammes MD, I am a inexpensive, energetic, jolly, faithful, cheerful, proud, rich person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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