How To Clean Strawberries With Vinegar – Vinegar is a humble cleaning and cooking agent—a master. It can make everything from the dishwasher to the microwave sparkling clean. It can also gently clean delicate fruits like strawberries and remove pesticides and other chemicals on the berries’ skins.
To clean strawberries with vinegar, rinse the berries in a colander under running tap water to remove large pieces of dirt. Then, pour four cups of water and one cup of white distilled vinegar into a large bowl or bucket. Submerge the berries in the water-vinegar bath, gently agitate the water with your hand, dunking the berries several times.
Contents
How to wash fruits and vegetables to remove pesticides | 4 Ways to Remove Pesticides Naturally
Let the berries sit in the vinegar solution for five to 10 minutes. You may notice tiny spiders, black specks (likely fly larvae), or worms in the water. That’s normal. Like the saltwater bath described below, the vinegar bath is an excellent way to remove any tiny bugs calling your strawberries home.
Do you wash strawberries?
First Why You Should Clean Strawberries – Unwashed berries, like many kinds of fresh produce, can have dirt, bacteria, and pesticides living on the surface. So, in order to not ingest said dirt, bacteria, and pesticides, it’s super important to wash them thoroughly before you eat them!
Is it OK to eat unwashed strawberries?
Steps to Safe and Healthy Fruits & Vegetables
Sometimes, raw fruits and vegetables contain harmful germs that can make you and your family sick, such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, The safest produce to eat is cooked; the next safest is washed. Wash fruits and vegetables under running water—even if you do not plan to eat the peel.
Eating a diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables gives many health benefits. But it’s important to select and prepare them safely. Fruits and vegetables add nutrients to your diet that help protect you from,, and some, Also, choosing vegetables, fruits, and nuts over high-calorie foods can help you manage your,
Choose produce that isn’t bruised or damaged. If you buy pre-cut fruits and vegetables, choose items that are refrigerated or kept on ice. Separate fruits and vegetables from raw meat, chicken and other poultry, and seafood in your shopping cart and in your grocery bags.
, kitchen utensils, and food preparation surfaces, including chopping boards and countertops, before and after preparing fruits and vegetables. before eating, cutting, or cooking, unless the package says the contents have been washed.
Wash or scrub fruits and vegetables under running water—even if you do not plan to eat the peel. Germs on the peel or skin can get inside fruits and vegetables when you cut them. Washing fruits and vegetables with soap, detergent, or commercial produce wash is, Do not use or other disinfecting products on fruits and vegetables. Cut away any damaged or bruised areas before preparing or eating. Germs can more easily get into fruits and vegetables if the peel or skin is damaged or bruised. Get rid of any torn or bruised leaves. Also, get rid of the outer leaves of cabbages and lettuce heads because they are likely to have more dirt and germs on them. Dry fruit or vegetables with a clean paper towel.
Keep fruits and vegetables from raw foods that come from animals, such as meat, poultry, and seafood. Refrigerate fruits and vegetables within 2 hours after you cut, peel, or cook them (or 1 hour if exposed to temperatures above 90°, like a hot car or picnic). Chill them at 40°F or colder in a clean container.
Anyone can get food poisoning, but and to have a more serious illness. These groups are:
Adults aged 65 and older Children younger than age 5 People who have health problems or take medicines that lower the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness (weakened immune system)—for example, people with diabetes, liver or kidney disease, HIV, or cancer People who are pregnant
If you or someone you care for has a greater chance of getting food poisoning, it’s especially important to take steps to prevent it when preparing fruits and vegetables. Cook sprouts thoroughly to reduce the risk of illness. Eating raw or undercooked sprouts may lead to food poisoning. That’s because the warm, humid conditions needed to grow sprouts are also ideal for germs to multiply. It’s especially important to avoid raw sprouts if you are in a group more likely to get seriously sick from food poisoning: older adults, young children, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant people. : Steps to Safe and Healthy Fruits & Vegetables
Can you get hepatitis from unwashed strawberries?
Investigation of the Outbreak – indicate that frozen organic strawberries, imported fresh from certain farms located in Baja California, Mexico in 2022, are the source of this outbreak. The hepatitis A virus strain causing illnesses in this outbreak is genetically identical to the strain that caused a, which was linked to fresh organic strawberries imported from Baja California, Mexico, and sold at various retailers.
In interviews, ill people answered questions about the foods they ate and other exposures in the 2 to 7 weeks before they became ill. Of people who were interviewed, 9/9 (100%) reported eating frozen organic strawberries. This proportion was significantly higher than results from a of healthy people in which 24% reported eating frozen berries in the week before they were interviewed.
In response to this investigation, California Splendor, Inc. of San Diego, California certain lots of 4-lb. bags of Kirkland Signature Frozen Organic Whole Strawberries that were sold at Costco stores in Los Angeles, California; Hawaii; and two San Diego, California business centers.
- The lots subject to this recall include: 140962-08, 142222-23, 142792-54, 142862-57, 142912-59, 142162-20, 142202-21, 142782-53, 142852-56, 142902-58, 142212-22, 142232-24, 142842-55.
- In response to this investigation, Scenic Fruit Company of Gresham, Oregon frozen organic strawberries, sold to Costco, Trader Joe’s, Aldi, KeHE, Vital Choice Seafood, and PCC Community Markets in certain states.
Products subject to this recall include:
| Brand Name | Product Name | Net Wt. | UPC | Best By Date, Best If Use Date, Best Before Date | Distributed in States |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simply Nature | Organic Strawberries | 24 oz. | 4099100256222 | 6/14/2024 | Arizona, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin |
| Vital Choice | Organic Strawberries | 16 oz. | 834297005024 | 5/20/2024 | Washington |
| Kirkland Signature | Organic Strawberries | 4 lbs. | 96619140404 | 10/8/2024 | Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington |
| Made With | Organic Strawberries | 10 oz. | 814343021390 | 11/20/2024 | Illinois, Maryland |
| PCC Community Markets | Organic Strawberries | 32 oz. | 22827109469 | 29/10/2024 | Washington |
| Trader Joe’s | Organic Tropical Fruit Blend Pineapple, Bananas, Strawberries & Mango | 16 oz. | 00511919 | 04/25/24, 05/12/24, 05/23/24, 05/30/24, 06/07/24 | Nationwide |
On March 17, 2023, a retailer, Meijer, also issued press to Made-With brand frozen organic strawberries from certain market store locations. In response to this investigation, on June 7, 2023, Wawona Frozen Foods of Clovis, California, initiated a of year-old packages of Wawona brand Organic DayBreak Blend 4-lb.
| Best If Used By 09/23/2023 | Best If Used By 09/29/2023 | Best If Used By 09/30/2023 | Best If Used By 10/18/2023 |
| Affected Lot Codes: | Affected Lot Codes: | Affected Lot Codes: | Affected Lot Codes: |
| 20082D04 | 20088D04 | 20089D09 | 20108D04 |
| 20082D05 | 20088D05 | 20089D10 | 20108D05 |
| 20082D06 | 20088D06 | 20089D11 | 20108D06 |
| 20082D07 | 20088D07 | 20089D12 | 20108D07 |
| 20082D08 | 20088D08 | 20108D08 | |
| 20088D09 | |||
| 20088D10 | |||
| 20088D11 | |||
| 20088D12 |
In response to this investigation, on June 12, 2023, Willamette Valley Fruit Co. of Salem, Oregon, select packages of frozen fruit containing strawberries distributed to the following retailers: Walmart (from January 24, 2023, to June 8, 2023), Costco Wholesale Stores (from October 3, 2022, to June 8, 2023), and HEB (from July 18, 2022, to June 8, 2023). Products subject to this recall include:
| Retailer | Product Name | Net weight | Lot Code | Best By Date | Distributed in States |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walmart | Great Value Sliced Strawberries | 4 lbs. | 4018305 4019305 | 7/19/2024 7/20/2024 | AR, AZ, CA, CO, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MT, ND, NE, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SD, TX, UT, VA, WI, WV, WY |
| Great Value Mixed Fruit | 4 lbs. | 4024205 4025305 4032305 4033305 4034305 4035305 | 7/25/2024 7/26/2024 8/2/2024 8/3/2024 8/4/2024 8/5/2024 | ||
| Great Value Antioxidant Fruit Blend | 40 oz. | 4032305 | 8/2/2024 | ||
| Costco Wholesale | Rader Farms Fresh Start Smoothie Blend | 48 oz. bag containing six 8 oz. pouches | 4224202 4313202 4314202 4363202 4364202 4017302 4018302 4042306 4043306 4060306 | 2/11/2024 5/10/2024 5/11/2024 6/29/2024 6/30/2024 7/18/2024 7/19/2024 8/12/2024 8/13/2024 8/30/2024 | AZ, CA, CO, TX |
| HEB | Rader Farms Organic Berry Trio | 3 lbs. | 4153205 4283202 4284202 4058302 4059302 | 12/02/2023 4/10/2024 4/11/2024 8/28/2024 8/29/2024 | TX |
FDA’s investigation is ongoing; additional products might be included in the future. : Multistate Outbreak of Hepatitis A Virus Infections Linked to Frozen Organic Strawberries
Do you really need to wash berries?
How to Wash Berries – Most berries should not be washed until they are being used. Excess water can cause premature spoilage for delicate, antioxidant-rich fruits like blueberries and raspberries, even gooseberries. Holding a package of berries under running water is not the correct approach: The pressure of the water can cause berries to squish, particularly if they’re packed on top of each other in a plastic container.