Should you wash raspberries?
I know, the hard and fast rule is to wash all your produce, but I have the hardest trouble washing raspberries. They inevitably get waterlogged and lose so much texture no matter how gentle I am. I see raspberries on cooking shows and online recipes and it's obvious the raspberries have not been washed. I have a very discerning eye. (wink) So should they be washed or not?
Best Answer
Like anything else food-related it's a matter of risk. If I'm picking raspberries straight off of my bush I often eat them without washing, but if I have a lot of them from the store I wash them as I don't know what they have been exposed to in packing and transit. Many people do not do this and get away with it just fine, occasionally someone gets sick. How much of a risk it is depends on the source of the berries, how they are packed, etc. and most of the time this is a complete unknown.
As for how to clean them it's important to be gentle, especially with very ripe raspberries as they can easily break apart. It's similar with blackberries, when I collect wild berries I accept that I will lose 5-10% of them in washing as some of them simply dissolve for lack of a better word. I minimize this by gently filling the container with water, soaking then for a few minutes, agitating them gently with my hand, then draining them. If they are good and solid you don't have to be this careful.
Raspberries don't absorb water, it's the cavity that gets filled up that gives that impression, so to drain them effectively I tilt them in all directions, letting the water run out no matter the orientation of each berry.
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Quick Answer about "Should you wash raspberries?"
Because the flesh of fresh raspberries is so delicate, they soak up liquid easily. That also means they can't withstand moisture for too long. Give your raspberries a wash right before you're going to eat them, rather than when you're putting them away, to prevent excess moisture that can lead to mold.Do you have to wash raspberries before you eat them?
As with all fresh produce, we recommend that you wash your berries before enjoying them. However, hold off on washing them until you're ready to eat them \u2013 the moisture will decrease their shelf life.Can you eat raspberries unwashed?
Raspberries should definitely be washed carefully before you eat them! Using water to give them a rinse is a relatively quick way to get surface dirt off and make sure the berries are generally clean.How do I clean raspberries?
For blackberries, raspberries, boysenberries, and blueberries, do not rinse under running water because the pressure can crush them. Instead, place the berries in a colander ($10, Target) and dip them in a bowl of cold water. Gently swish the colander in the water, then allow the berries to drain.What happens if I dont wash my raspberries?
Eating unwashed produce may cause you to ingest harmful bacteria, which may be present in the soil, or pesticides applied to produce in the fields. What's more, you might even end up eating bugs that were harvested along with the produce.The Best Way to Clean Raspberries : Recipes \u0026 Cooking Techniques
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Answer 2
It looks like Martha Stewart answered this question in a blog post last year. She covers berries in general.
To recap:
- Wash them in cold water, by placing them gently in a bowl of ice cold water.
- Wash them promptly before cooking, so that the excess moisture doesn't stick around and cause the berries to rot.
https://www.marthastewart.com/1539188/washing-storing-berries-guide
Answer 3
You could try washing them right after you buy then, but well before (eg hours, days) you eat them, so the water has had time to dissipate.
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Images: Karolina Grabowska, Karolina Grabowska, Francesco Ungaro, Pixabay