If you’ve ever soaked strawberries in salt water and seen tiny white creatures emerge, you probably felt a mixture of surprise and disgust. While the sight is unpleasant, it’s a completely natural phenomenon. These tiny “larvae” are common organisms found in many soft fruits, and in most cases, strawberries remain perfectly safe to eat. Here’s what they are, why they appear, and how to wash them properly.
What are those little white “worms”?
These are the larvae of the spotted wing drosophila ( Drosophila suzukii ), an insect that lays its eggs in soft, ripening fruits, especially strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Unlike other fruit flies, this species can pierce the skin of even firm fruit, making it very difficult to prevent its presence in crops, particularly organic ones.
Main characteristics of these larvae:
- Size: between 1 and 3 millimeters.
- Color: whitish or translucent.
- Habitat: the interior of the fruit during its ripening.
It is important to note that they are not parasites of humans . They cannot reproduce or survive inside the body, so their presence does not represent a biological threat.4
⏬Continue to the next page ⏬⏬ ⏬
