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Strawberries are a delicious and good source of vitamin c, folic acid, antioxidants and fiber. They are not only part of a healthy diet but can help reduce the risk of heart disease as well.[1][2] However, like any other fresh produce, strawberries need to be cleaned carefully before consumption as they can become contaminated with harmful bacteria such as salmonella or E. coli. Plus, strawberries are one of the “dirty dozen,” foods that contain the most pesticides.[3]
Things You Should Know
- Remove bruised, mushy strawberries from your container of strawberries.
- Place your strawberries in a colander and rinse them under running water. Move them around with your hands, then pat them dry with a towel.
- Or, pour 1 cup (237ml) of vinegar for every 3 cups (710 ml) of water into a bowl. Swirl 2-3 strawberries at a time for 30 seconds, then rinse them off with water.
Steps
Remove bad or spoiled strawberries. Don’t wash them before you’re ready to use them, though, as strawberries act like sponges. They absorb water fast, which speeds up spoiling.- Discard strawberries that are bruised, mushy, moldy or not ripe. Keep strawberries that have a deep red color and are plump.
- Don’t remove the stem before washing as that way the strawberries will just absorb water.
Place strawberries in a large clean colander. It’s important not to ever soak them in water.- Wash the strawberries under clean running water.
- Keep moving them gently with hands making sure each one gets washed.
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Clean them in a basin of cool water alternatively.[4]- Hold a few strawberries in hand and slosh them through the water.
- Rather than being submerged, strawberries need to be given a quick rinse.
Dry the strawberries. When left wet, berries start going bad fast. Even if they are left wet to air dry, they will absorb the water and taste less sweet.- Let them drain in the colander for a minute.
- Pat them dry with a paper towel. Be careful not to damage the fruit.
- Alternatively, spread them on a clean kitchen towel and gently rub them dry.
Clean the strawberries more thoroughly with a vinegar solution. This also helps keep them from getting spoiled too fast in the refrigerator. It’s frustrating to buy a carton of strawberries and to find them covered in white fuzz two days later.[5]- You should discard strawberries that are moldy or squished.
- Again, keep the stem on until you are ready to use the berries in your recipe or to eat.
- Prepare the vinegar solution. You will need white vinegar and a basin or sink.
- Fill up half a clean basin or sink with cold water. Make sure the water is not warm.
- Add 1 cup vinegar for every 3 cups of water.[6]
- Mix the solution well with your hand.
- Grab two or three strawberries. You will clean a few strawberries at the time. This ensures you are cleaning each one properly.
- Run strawberries vigorously for about 30 seconds through the vinegar solution.
- Rinse those strawberries well under cold water. You don’t want any of the vinegar flavor to remain on the fruit.
- Pat the fruit dry with paper towels, or dry it gently with a kitchen towel.
Prepare the Veggie Wash solution. You can purchase Veggie Wash at most major food supermarkets.- Fill up half a clean basin or a sink with cold water.
- Add 2 oz of Veggie Wash and stir.
- Give the solution a good swirl.
Grab up to two or three strawberries in your hand. This ensures each piece gets cleaned properly.- Run strawberries vigorously for about 30 seconds through the Veggie Wash solution.
- Rinse those strawberries well under cold running water. You don’t want any of the Veggie Wash residue to remain on the fruit.
- Pat the fruit dry with paper towels, or gently dry it with a kitchen towel.
Community Q&A
- QuestionDo people usually cut the centers out of their strawberries?
Community AnswerSome people do, but it's not necessary. Whether you do or not is up to you. - QuestionWill the vinegar wash remove harmful bacteria?Community AnswerNot by itself. But if you leave the vinegar on for a minute and then spray with peroxide and rinse, it will kill the bacteria.
- QuestionShould I clean commercially frozen, bagged strawberries?
Community AnswerYou could rinse them if you wanted to, but it's not necessary.
Video
Tips
- Remove the stems after washing the strawberries by inserting a clean sturdy straw through the bottom of a strawberry and pushing it up through the top.[7]Thanks
- If you need to store the fruit for longer than two days, freeze it by placing it in airtight freezer bag or container.Thanks
- When shopping for strawberries look for bright red even color and don’t worry about their size and shape. Instead choose strawberries that are full and plump.Thanks
References
- ↑ http://www.foodrepublic.com/2013/05/20/14-things-you-didnt-know-about-strawberries
- ↑ http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/strawberries.html
- ↑ http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7O2BNOOY5E
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/smart-tip-keep-berries-fresh-longer-with-this-washing-method-172141
- ↑ http://food52.com/blog/6970-how-to-keep-berries-fresh-for-longer
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNrfrcvnGA4
About This Article
To clean strawberries, first fill a large bowl with 4 parts water and 1 part white vinegar. Place the strawberries in the vinegar solution and let them soak for 20 minutes. Then, drain the strawberries into a colander and rinse them thoroughly with cool water. Rotate the strawberries in the colander while rinsing them so the water gets to all of the fruit. Finally, pat the strawberries dry with paper towels. For organic strawberries, you can just rinse them off with cool water in a colander to clean them since they shouldn't have any pesticides on them. If you want to learn how to use a vinegar solution for cleaning your berries, keep reading!
Reader Success Stories
"Very helpful! I usually cut the stems, then rinse the strawberries in hot water to kill bugs and bacteria. I the put them in a zip-top bag. I try to prepare them for easy snacking for my children. They go bad often before my kids can enjoy them. Great advice!"..." more
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