What you’re seeing is very likely fruit fly larvae (maggots) coming out of the berries.
This can happen with strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc. when tiny fruit fly eggs are already inside the fruit before you buy it. The salt water just makes them come out.
🪱 What it means
- Not dangerous in the toxic sense, but definitely contaminated
- Indicates the fruit was already infested before washing
- The larvae feed on ripening fruit internally, so rinsing won’t remove everything reliably
🍓 Should you throw them away?
✔️ Best and safest option: Yes, discard them
- Especially if you saw multiple larvae
- Or if the berries are soft, mushy, or have an off smell
⚠️ Technically:
- Eating a few accidentally is usually not harmful for healthy people
- But it’s understandably unpleasant and not recommended
🧼 What about the rest of the batch?
- If they were stored together, inspect carefully
- If infestation is visible in one container, the safest choice is to discard the whole pack
🧠 How to prevent this next time
- Rinse berries in salt water (1 tsp salt per cup water) for 10–15 minutes immediately after buying
- Store in the fridge right away
- Buy from fresher sources when possible
- Check packaging for any soft or leaking berries before buying
