Yes — you should definitely discard those berries. What you saw were likely fruit fly larvae or other insect larvae, which can sometimes be present inside soft fruits like berries. Soaking in salt water can draw them out, but it doesn’t make the berries safe to eat.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Health Risk
Eating larvae from contaminated fruit can lead to digestive upset or foodborne illness. - Signs of Infestation
- Tiny white worms or wiggling things in or on the fruit
- Soft spots, unusual smell, or mold
- Prevention Tips
- Wash berries thoroughly under running water before eating.
- Store berries in the fridge and consume quickly.
- Inspect fruit carefully before purchasing.
Even if you rinse or soak them, infested berries are unsafe — it’s not worth the risk.
If you want, I can share a safe method to clean berries that can remove most pests before they hatch so this doesn’t happen again. Do you want me to do that?
