Yes — you should throw those berries away. The white wiggling things are almost certainly fruit fly larvae or maggots, which can carry bacteria or parasites. Eating them could make you sick, even if you washed or soaked the berries.
Here’s why and what to do:
Why This Happens
- Fruit flies or other insects lay eggs inside berries.
- The larvae hatch and feed inside the fruit, which you saw when soaking in salt water.
- Soaking may bring them out, but it doesn’t make the berries safe to eat.
Safety Steps
- Discard the infested berries immediately.
- Check remaining fruit for soft spots, holes, or other larvae.
- Wash fresh berries thoroughly before eating.
- Consider a vinegar rinse (1 part vinegar to 3 parts water) to kill bacteria or eggs, then rinse with clean water.
- Store berries properly in the fridge and eat within a few days.
💡 Tip: Freezing or cooking berries kills any remaining larvae or bacteria, so it’s safer than eating raw if you’re unsure about contamination.
I can make a step-by-step method to clean berries safely to prevent worms and maggots if you want—it’s quick and reliable. Do you want me to do that?
