Cleaning fresh berries

JillyMarie · ‎03-29-2015

I just read this method of cleaning berries - has anyone ever washed/cleaned their soft fruit this way? Outcome?

Finally, here’s an old tip from the New York Times, for cleaning very soft fruit, specifically berries, that you might not want to rub: Put them in a hot bath. Essentially, you can put blueberries, strawberries, and the like in 140°F water for about 30 seconds, and it will kill any mold or bacteria on the skins without affecting the taste or the quality of the fruit. Simply dry it off and store it when you’re done. Not only will it be clean, but it'll last a lot longer in the fridge, as well!

JeanLouiseFinch · ‎10-03-2011

This is a new way to me.

I've been doing the water and distilled vinegar bath for my berries. Then I spread them out on an old towel, or paper towels, and let them dry before storing them in glass mason jars. Glass storage extends the freshness of the berries too. Raspberries are rascals though. No matter what I do, they have to be eaten relatively soon after purchase as they just don't last long. The glass helps, but they need to be eaten within a week.

ValuSkr · ‎03-15-2014

I've just been rinsing them in the sink! I didn't know that was bad.

PA Mom-mom · ‎05-27-2015

@JillyMarie I usually wash them in the hottest water that comes out of my tap, and then I rinse in cold water and dry on a paper towel. It just seemed like the thing to do after they've made the trip from the farm. I never knew they needed to be immersed for 30 seconds, but I'll try that from now on. If I'm freezing, I wait to wash them until I'm ready to use them.

Zoe · ‎06-10-2015

Interesting. Hadn't heard of this hot water method before. Might need to experiment & try it out.

The vinegar method wasn't for me. We do citric acid (or lemon wash) and glass storage. Bonus: You can use the citric acid solution to de-scale a kettle or such after washing the berries.