(WYTV) — Spring is nearly here, the first day is just after the weekend, which means the beginning of berry season. They’re good for you, but you have to store them properly, otherwise, they get mushy and grow mold.
Berries can develop a white coating on them that kind of looks like cotton or fuzz. A few moldy berries don’t mean you have to throw out the whole batch. Just toss the ones that look visibly moldy as well as any they might have touched.
“If more than about a quarter of the berries are moldy, you’re probably best off getting rid of all of those berries,” said Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases doctor at Mayo Clinic. “But, if the rest are looking healthy, they’re not bruised, they’re not soft and there’s no visible mold on them, they’re probably ok to eat after you’ve washed them well.”
If you don’t notice the mold until you’ve already started, don’t panic. It’s unlikely to make you sick — you’d have to eat quite a bit of mold to experience a stomachache, nausea or vomiting.
To keep your berries fresher and mold-free longer, rinse them with vinegar and water and store them on a dry paper towel in an open container in your fridge.
Berries can be a great source of potassium and vitamins C and K, and can also promote a healthy gut.
