Does vinegar kill mold on fruit

Raspberries in particular seem like they can mold before you even get them home from the market. There’s nothing more tragic than paying $4 for a pint of local raspberries, only to look in the fridge the next day and find that fuzzy mold growing on their insides.

When you get your fresh berries home from your local market, be sure to wash them with vinegar. 

It really works. When you get your berries home, prepare a mixture of one part vinegar (white or apple cider probably work best) and ten parts water. Dump the berries into the mixture and swirl around. Drain, rinse if you want (though the mixture is so diluted you can’t even taste the vinegar) and pop in the fridge.

The vinegar kills any mold spores and other bacteria that might be on the surface of the fruit! Raspberries will last a week or more, and even strawberries go almost two weeks without getting moldy and soft. So, go ahead and stock up on those pricey little gems, knowing they’ll stay fresh as long as it takes you to eat them.

Fresh berries have two major enemies: mold and moisture. Here's how to fight them off in two easy steps so you can store berries and keep them fresh for longer. Money saved!

Updated on January 13, 2021

Why Fresh Berries Go Bad

Everyone says you shouldn't wash berries until just before you eat them because moisture shortens their shelf life. But the truth is, berries carry mold spores that cause them to go deteriorate very quickly. And that mold can spread through a whole basket of berries in a flash.

Good news: You can easily kill off mold and bacteria with a quick vinegar and water bath, then dry off the berries before they go in the fridge. Here's how to do it.

What to Know Before You Start

• This method works best for firm berries like strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries.
• Fragile raspberries should get the classic "rinse right before eating" treatment with just plain water.
• The vinegar bath won't "cure" very moldy berries; it's best to pick those out and discard them right away.
• Berries that are super-ripe to begin with should be eaten within a couple of days.

How to Store Berries the Best Way

Step 1. Vinegar Bath to Kill Mold

Discard any berries that show even a bit of mold. Combine 3 cups cold water and 1 cup white vinegar in a large bowl or salad spinner.

Immerse berries and swish around for about a minute.

Drain berries, then rinse with clean, cold water until any trace of vinegar aroma or taste is gone.

Spread out rinsed berries on clean cloth or paper towels, and pat and roll lightly with towels to dry them well.

Step 2. Store Berries

If your berries came in a ventilated plastic clamshell-type package, wash it with soap and hot water, rinse and dry, then line it with a dry paper towel. Put the clean, dry berries back in the clamshell and store them in the fridge.

Make sure to leave ventilation holes in the top uncovered so air can circulate in the package. Otherwise, store the berries in a clean container lined with paper towels, with the lid ajar so condensation can evaporate. Change the paper towels if they get damp over time.

When I was researching this kitchen tip, I read where people were worried about the berries tasting like vinegar after their bath. I can tell you from experience that they don't.

I used plain white vinegar and didn't let the berries sit in the bath for more than a couple of minutes. It didn't take much rinsing before I couldn't smell even a hint of vinegar, and I never tasted any. My berries looked and tasted fresh for days. How long will they last? That depends on how ripe they were when you first got them. But at least this method gives them a decent chance at a longer shelf life.

Related

• Try these easy blueberry desserts, and find out why you should eat even more blueberries.
• You'll love these beautiful cakes made with fresh strawberries, or try these deceptively easy strawberry desserts.
• Take your pick of our top-rated berry recipes.

Prep and store your fruit for easy eating all week with this simple vinegar fruit wash! 

My kids LOVE fruit, especially berries, and for that I am grateful! Strawberries are one of the staples at our house. After a year of cleaning and slicing strawberries multiple times a day, I thought there must be a better way! Now, I do one more thing after grocery shopping that has made my life so much easier. 

I spend 20 minutes washing and prepping, then our strawberries, blueberries, grapes and other fruit are clean and ready to enjoy for the whole week. We love to throw on top of yogurt or use them to make Strawberry Smoothie Bowlsor ourFavorite Green Smoothie!

We store berries in glass containers and pull them out as needed for snacks, school lunches or as part of our meals at home! My friend Channing introduced me to this practice and I am forever grateful. For more cool tips like this one browse our Tips page!

*This post contains affiliate links.

Vinegar Fruit Wash works for:

• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Grapes
• Apples 
• Plums
• Cherries

Do not soak raspberries – keep refrigerated and wait to wash them until just before eating! They are too fragile and will turn to mush if you wash them too early.

FAQ

Does soaking fruit in vinegar wash make it last longer? 

According to Best Food Facts, washing fruit in vinegar does not extend the shelf-life. Removing bacteria and mold spores, however will help your fruit to last longer and doing so is better for you! Vinegar does help kill mold spores though, so washing in a vinegar bath isn’t a bad idea. Washing fruit with clean water will remove 98% of bacteria. 

Should I do vinegar wash for Strawberries? 

Strawberries tend to get moldy faster if I don’t do the vinegar wash, so always wash them right away. If you don’t plan to eat strawberries right away, wait to wash until just before you plan to eat them. The same goes for blueberries.

How to Wash and Prep Fruit

• Add four parts lukewarm or cool water and one part vinegar to a large bowl. You can also use your sink if it is very clean. 

•  Remove fruit from the vinegar and water and allow it to dry on paper towels. Dry the fruit completely before storing. 

• Optional: cut stems off of strawberries and slice them in half. 
• Cut off any mushy parts or spots that look like they could be going moldy.
• Store fruit in glass containers that have lids or cover with plastic wrap. 

Enjoy fruit all week. It’s now ready to be thrown on top of salads, yogurt, smoothie bowls, or onto the plates of toddlers! Hooray!

If you try this, please leave us a comment and positive review! We love hearing from you.

• Large bowl

• Paper Towels

• 1 part Distilled White Vinegar
• 4 parts Water

• Fill a large bowl with three parts cool water, one part distilled white vinegar.

• Add strawberries, blueberries or grapes to the bowl and soak them for 10-20 minutes.

• Lay paper towels or kitchen towels on the counter and spread the fruit out on the towels to dry.

• Dry fruit completely.

• Cut stems off of strawberries and slice them. (optional)

• Store your prepped fruit in glass containers in the fridge and enjoy having them ready to eat at a moment's notice.

Pro Tips:

• Instead of soaking in a bowl, you can use your sink if it is very clean. 
• Always dry the fruit completely before storing. 

Vinegar Fruit Wash works for:

• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Grapes
• Apples 
• Plums
• Cherries

Do not soak raspberries.