Who can resist the allure of a juicy, ripe strawberry?
These delightful fruits are not only a treat to the taste buds, but they’re also easily accessible in the fresh produce section of your local grocery store.
But before you pop one into your mouth, have you ever stopped to consider whether you’ve washed it properly?
Many of us are guilty of indulging in a quick taste test at the grocery store or farmer’s market.
Some even assume that the pre-packaged strawberries have been washed by the store.
However, a recent trend on TikTok might make you think twice about skipping the rinse.
This trend, which has been circulating on TikTok for some time, involves soaking strawberries (and other fresh produce) in a mixture of water and salt.
The results?
Quite shocking, to say the least.
People have discovered bugs or insects lurking in their strawberries!
Some of these creepy crawlies appeared to emerge from inside the strawberries, while others were spotted scurrying on the surface.
This finding has spread across various social media channels, with many people trying it out for themselves.
However, there’s no clear consensus on what these bugs really are.
Some believe these are strawberry mites (or two-spotted spider mites), others suggest they might be pharaoh ants, and some claim they are spotted wing drosophila.
Regardless of their identity, the sight of these bugs emerging from a strawberry soak has understandably alarmed many.
If you’re brave enough to try this experiment yourself, the process is simple.
Fill a bowl with water, add salt, and soak your strawberries before rinsing them.
Some people let them sit for five minutes, while others prefer a thirty-minute soak.
Some TikTokers even recommend using warm water and adding one part white vinegar to four parts water.
While the results might be surprising to most, experts say it’s not all that shocking.
Bugs are common in most of the fresh produce we consume.
After all, these fruits and vegetables are grown in gardens where pests typically co-exist.
It’s safe to say that we’ve probably ingested several mites in our lives without even knowing it.
But are these bugs harmful?
There’s no clear evidence or proven study that ingesting these insects would cause harm to our bodies.
There have been no reports of people getting sick because they accidentally ate them from their food.
Moreover, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration limits the number of bugs our food can contain – even canned goods.
If all this information has made you a little paranoid about your food, there’s a simple solution: wash them.
Whether you’ve bought your produce pre-packaged or not, it’s essential to wash them before eating or cooking.
So, the next time you reach for a strawberry, remember to give it a good rinse first.
After all, nobody wants to share their snack with a bug!
See a strawberry under a microscope in the video below.
Are you having a good day today?
I’m sorry for ruining it by posting this video of a strawberry under a microscope. pic.twitter.com/xQKSG04OYK
— QENNY UTOPIA (@AKBrews) March 28, 2023
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Source: My Modern Met, Twitter – @AKBrews, YouTube – Mashed
