Does One Moldy Berry Ruin The Bunch?

You just returned from the farmers market with a bounty of produce, including so many punnets of fresh berries. As you put your purchases away, you realize that the pack of blueberries was not quite as perfect as it first appeared. One moldy blueberry becomes apparent in the corner. You definitely do not want to make any storage mistakes that will make the whole bunch moldy. But did this one berry ruin the whole bunch? Should you throw it all away? The answer, as often happens in these types of cases, is: It depends.

If it is only one moldy berry, Mayo Clinic recommends that you remove that berry and any touching it. If you are feeling wary, you may want to inspect all the berries for mold, specifically around the stems and any bruises , and remove any suspect fruit. Wash the remaining berries with hot water or with a vinegar solution, then pat dry before storing them in the fridge in a breathable container lined with a paper towel. This advice applies to any kind of berry, whether they are packed in clamshell plastic, molded pulp, or paper baskets.

Even after removing the moldy berries, and cleaning and drying the others to store as well as you can, you cannot hold off mold forever from such perishable produce; Berries are definitely one of the foods you should not eat when they are moldy. Because you have only a few days to eat them out of hand, you need to prepare berries for longer storage. One of the more economical and easy methods is to freeze them. After washing and drying the berries, place them in a single layer on a sheet pan and freeze them for about two hours. Then, put the now-frozen berries into freezer-safe bags, removing any excess air before sealing the bags shut. Store in the freezer for up to 18 months.

But with the plethora of ways you can use berries, there is very little chance that your precious farmers market cache will languish in your fridge or freezer for long. From cobblers to parfaits, berries make for incredible sweet treats, keeping your dessert menu exciting for the whole family. Need a quicker way to use them? The best smoothie recipes are a great all-around solution to do just that, not to mention to score a filling breakfast or nutritious afternoon snack.