The key to preventing moldy berries? Vinegar!

by Katie

Berries, particularly super-fresh berries, are just wonderful, aren't they?

Image: Healthyfellow.com

But they're also kind of delicate. Raspberries in particular seem like they can mold before you even get them home from the market. There's nothing more tragic than paying $4 for a pint of local raspberries, only to look in the fridge the next day and find that fuzzy mold growing on their insides.

Well, with fresh berries just starting to hit farmers markets, you can tell that we Foodlush writers have berries, and how to keep them fresh, on the brain this week! First Jonna shared this excellent tip on how to salvage berries that are starting to lose their luster. Now I'm here to share a tip on how to prevent them from getting there in the first place:

Wash them with vinegar.

A friend of mine shared this tip with me a few weeks ago, and it really, really works. When you get your berries home, prepare a mixture of one part vinegar (white or apple cider probably work best) and ten parts water.  Dump the berries into the mixture and swirl around. Drain, rinse if you want (though the mixture is so diluted I find you can't taste the vinegar,) and pop in the fridge.

The vinegar kills any mold spores and other bacteria that might be on the surface of the fruit, and voila! Raspberries will last a week or more, and I've had strawberries go almost two weeks without getting moldy and soft. So go forth and stock up on those pricey little gems, knowing they'll stay fresh as long as it takes you to eat them.

Comments

[Skinny Sonja]

Just read this post - totally the reason I went to canned fruit! Will absolutely try this trick :)

[Ralph Bangs]

It works and Strawberries can be stored in the fridge for a much longer period.

[Jeanette]

What a great tip - hadn't heard of this one before, although I've heard if you rinse berries with warm/hot water when you get them, they last longer.

[RecipeNewZ]

Such a nice tip. Will definitely try :-). I hope it does not impact the taste. Thanks for sharing!

[Katie]

Thank you for sharing this great tip! I found you on Pinterest and featured you on my Pinterest Picks. I would love for you to stop by and grab a feature button!
http://thecraftyblogstalker.blogspot.com/2012/05/pinterest-picks_20.html

[Socorro Alaniz]

My husband just came home with Strawberries so I did this!
I wonder if I can do this with grapes.... I guess it would not hurt!
Thank you!

CocoinBonita

[beth]

Just tried it on my fresh picked wild blackberries. Just a swish did not kill the tiny bugs on them. They are now back in a bowl of water, i am hoping the little critters drown.
:(

[Paige]

It also gets the icky wax off of your apples!

[stacey]

Well, I tried it. We will see. Vinegar kills a lot of things, so I wouldn't be surprised that it kills bacteria and mold spores. May not be scientific, but if it works, yay!

[fritha]

this is really a God send this wet summer
I hope to save our fruit crops with a vinegar solution wash
THANK YOU for sharing

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[Jethro]

I tried this method with mushrooms, fish, and tomatoes and it works just as well!

[Sam Gossett]

I just bought 6 pounds of strawberries from the local farmer's market. Perfect time to find your post. Thank you so much.

[Celeste]

Don't wash your fruit and vegetables in vinegar leaving them with a sour taste. Ecodiscoveries makes a product called Harvest. It is an all-natural blend of plant-derived ingredients. It is formulated to remove waxes, chemicals, soil and other contaminants and actually increases the shelf-life of your fresh food! Use Harvest and you will not see mold growing on your berries after 3 days in the refrigerator and all that’s left is the taste that nature intended. It's sold in stores and online.

[Peggy]

Hey, if this works on berries, wouldn't it work on fresh vegetables, such as corn, etc. & fruit, such as apples, etc???

[Steve]

Can anyone comment on, if this practice of washing the berries in the vinegar solution in fact works....? Everything I read is saying not to wash them until you are ready to consume???

[Victoria P. Miller]

Thank you! I am a daily painter and always looking to extend fresh produce! This is fabulous and I can't wait to try it out... Just fantastic. Thanks again, Victoria

[Julie]

thanks for the fruit tip... Another tip... When fruit is passing its prime, i don't throw it out, I put it in the freezer and save it for future smoothies. It works great... even bananas that are turning brown. Freeze them whole and peel with a knife before blending. I usually wash berries first before freezing.

[Mindi]

Do you store them back in the container from the store or in a different way?

[Angeline]

This is gonna be so useful! I am gonna try the trick on my berries this weekend for sure! many thanks for the tips! woohoo...

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