Found Bugs In Your Grocery Store Strawberries? Don't Panic, Here's What To Do

Finding bugs in produce isn't the most appetizing thing to see, and it's a totally valid reaction to want to throw the whole batch away. But the thing is, it's perfectly normal — it came from dirt, after all — and shouldn't be a cause of concern. If you happen to spot crawling critters on your strawberries, just give the fruits a good 15-minute warm saltwater bath, and watch the bugs accumulate on top. It is said that water alone can also be effective, especially since adding salt might make the flavor cling to the strawberries. However, if you want longer-lasting strawberries, only do this if you're sure you're eating them right away, as they can go sour fast after soaking up that much water.

There are other methods to clean strawberries, but saltwater and just plain old water are two cleaning agents that seem to be most common. And while you'll be able to eliminate some of the bugs that are living inside the strawberries, it might be impossible to get them all, as some of them are living right in the core. So, while cleaning can help — and it remains an important step — it's impossible not to ingest a few bugs here and there. But what exactly are they, and what does consuming them mean for your health?

The bugs that have usually made a home in strawberries are the spotted wing drosophila, and the reason behind why they're in your strawberries might be even more unappetizing. These sneaky little fruit flies mark their territory before the fruit even ripens, laying eggs inside them that are invisible to the human eye. Other common bugs you might spot in your strawberries, aside from the spotted wing drosophila, are aphids, mites, and whiteflies.

On the bright side, consuming strawberries ridden by these bugs won't make you ill — though it's totally understandable if the thought of it makes you sick. It's actually kind of a good thing because it means that there's no insane amounts of pesticides present in your food. It's the same case for other produce — it's just part of eating your daily dose of fruits and vegetables. And if it helps, you won't usually be able to spot them, so ignorance is bliss.

But even though the bugs are safe to consume, that doesn't mean you shouldn't wash your strawberries at all. You'd want to get rid of pesticides on your fruits too, and putting them under running water can be helpful enough. Some would say a salt-and-water combination is preferred, but there's not enough research that backs up whether salt really removes pesticides from produce. Just like bugs, it's okay to not be able to remove all the pesticide residue, so don't sweat it too much, and just enjoy the fruit like you always have.