Food safety experts cited by Notícias ao Minuto recommend that consumers follow three simple checks before buying strawberries, a delicate and highly perishable fruit. Stephanie McCurdy, a specialist in agriculture and natural resources cited by Martha Stewart, suggests starting by observing the bottom of the packaging, looking for crushed strawberries, accumulated liquid, signs of mold or moisture spots, which may indicate that the fruit has already passed its best state of freshness.
The second point relates to the fact that strawberries are normally very close to each other inside the packaging. Jared Hibbard Swanson, a food safety specialist also cited by Martha Stewart, warns about the risk of a damaged fruit or one with mold ending up affecting the rest. Excessive moisture creates favorable conditions for deterioration and the development of microorganisms, so it is important to slightly tilt the packaging and check the hidden fruits.
The third detail to take into account is the color. Unlike some fruits that continue to ripen after being harvested, strawberries do not show significant ripening after harvest. Therefore, experts recommend avoiding fruits that have large white or greenish areas, and should favor strawberries with uniform and bright red coloring, without forgetting the other signs of freshness such as texture, presence of mold and damage.
The experts note that the entire verification process takes only a few seconds and can prevent taking home a package that quickly deteriorates. A box that looks attractive from the top may hide crushed or deteriorated strawberries at the bottom, so this small care can help reduce food waste.
