And in some cases, its even possible to avoid the sad scenario completely.
You read that right.
What is moldand why is it always showing up on my berries?
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Food molds are microscopic fungi that live on plants and animals.
To the naked eye it looks like white, green, or blue fuzz.
Department of Agriculture (USDA).
But strawberries and other berries are particularly prone to the stuff.
Thats because theyre loaded with the nutrients mold loves and needs to grow.
The fact that berries are soft and bruise easily makes them even more inviting to mold.
And once mold makes its way onto one berry, it can spread to others nearby easily.
Can I cut mold off a strawberry and eat the rest?
Its best to discard moldy berries.
(Cutting mold off foods like hard cheese or firm veggies like carrots or cabbage is okay.
And eating that mold could potentially set you up for problems.
Mold can triggerallergic reactionsand trouble breathing when ingested, theUSDAnotes.
Its worth pointing out that the risk of getting sick from a moldy berry is admittedly pretty low.
Instead, these more serious effects tend to occur more often with molds that grow on grains or nuts.
Still, theres no reason to take the chance.
Just toss the moldy berry out!
What if just a few berries have moldcan I eat the others?
Just follow a few best practices to get rid of any other fruit that may be contaminated.
Then inspect the rest of the berries carefully.
(Mold most often shows up around bruised spots or by the stem base, Shumaker says.)
Dont see any other moldy bits and the berries aren’t mushy?
They should be safe to eat, per theUSDA.
And if tossing moldy or the surrounding could-become-moldy berries pains you (because,food waste!
Keep the fuzzy produce away from worm bins though, since the mold could make the little creatures sick.
I accidentally ate moldy fruit.
Whats going to happen?
Aside from being skeeved out (moldy food doesnt taste good!
), theres no need to panic if you ate a moldy berry by mistake.
Whats the best way to prevent mold on berries?
If you see any moldy or bruised bits, move on to another box.
Also steer clear of containers with visible liquid or moisture, Wall recommends.
Supermarket berries are typically packed with a moisture-absorbing pad at the bottom of the container.
If thats soaked through, you know those berries have an issue inside, she says.
The additional moisture will encourage the germination and growth of any existing mold spores, McGeehan says.
Not like that should be difficult, right?
