Can You Toss Moldy Berries and Eat the Rest in the Container?
We asked experts whether a few bad berries spoil the bunch.
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Anyone who loves fresh berries knows they come with a timer. While delicious when ripe, it doesn’t take long for berries to go bad.
When a few of your berries grow mold, you might be tempted to salvage the rest of the container — but should you? We asked two experts whether it’s safe to toss the moldy ones and eat the rest.
Which berries should you toss?
“Mold tend to have ‘roots’ which can grow easily in soft fruit like berries and can end up being toxic,” says food safety expert Toby Amidor, MS, RD. “In some cases, it can also lead to allergic reactions and respiratory issues. As such, any berries containing mold should be discarded.”
She also recommends tossing any berries touching moldy ones, even if they look okay.
“Usually if there is a moldy berry (or two) in the bunch, a few more might be on their way to rotting as well,” Dana Angelo White, M.S., R.D., A.T.C., adds. “Inspect the entire batch for any fruit that is overly ripe, discolored and/or mushy and toss those away as well.”
Can you eat the rest?
Here’s the good news: Any berries left should be safe to eat.
“Check the remaining berries for additional mold and also make sure they're firm to the touch and wash thoroughly under cool, running water before eating. Overly mushy berries should be tossed,” Amidor says.
“Totally fine to give the others a wash and eat them!” White agrees.
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