How to Wash and Store Berries

Fresh berries offer the best in nutrition, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Today it seems you no sooner purchase fresh ripe berries just to get them home and find them spoiled before you can wash them to eat. Since buying strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries is costly, take the time to store them properly. Proper storage ensures the berries last longer and can hold on to their nutritional properties.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Berries
• Paper bag
• Colander
• Spray bottle or sink faucet sprayer

1. Select fresh berries from a grocer, produce shop or local farmers market. Purchase berries in the clam-shell vented, plastic container. Look for berries stacked shallow in the packaging to prevent bruising.

2. Store berries at home in the original plastic storage container from the market. A good storage container has vents to let the air circulate around the berries.

3. Place berries in an open part of the refrigerator. For optimal storage, put them in a brown paper bag to keep the berries dry and safe from humidity.

4. Remove berries from refrigerator and container and place them in a colander to wash them prior to eating. Wash berries gently with a spray bottle or a gentle flow of water from the tap and remove stems. Serve the berries as desired.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid packaged berries where juice is leaking or mold is present in the package. Berries should be dry in the package.
• Don't store berries in the vegetable or fruit crisper bin--the unnecessary humidity can cause spoilage, as can washing berries prior to storage.

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Resources

• For additional information, check out Marsh's Produce Guide.