How to keep worms out of your cherries: Tips for shoppers
6 June 2024 12:42
No one likes experiencing this kind of scenario. Not only do we pay a fortune for cherries, but when we get home, we find that worms have already shamelessly settled in half of our purchase. How can we avoid this? Sometimes, all it takes is a glance...
The first appearance of cherries in stores always brings shock, an automatic reach for the wallet, and a quickened heartbeat. Fortunately, in June, the prices of these tasty and healthy fruits become more reasonable, although they still aren't the cheapest culinary indulgence. Of course, this is only the first of two reasons for the immense disappointment when discovering that the cherries we purchased are worm-infested. The second is simply that we had a massive craving for them! How can we not get upset?
Before throwing a fit at home, look at the cherries while still in the store. The worm-infested ones are very easy to identify. You don’t need a knife to cut and sift through the fruits. It's simpler than you think, and everything will appear after this article.
How to identify worm-infested cherries?
The pests that particularly favour residing in cherries are cherry fruit fly larvae. Although accidentally consuming one shouldn't negatively affect our health, it will undoubtedly offend our sense of aesthetics. And no one wants to discourage themselves or their children from eating these healthy fruits, right?
So, before buying cherries in the store, look at them. What should raise your concern? First, the obvious: holes in the skin or "tunnels" underneath it. These are signs of unwanted tenants, so don't buy those cherries. But that's not all. Another negative trait of these fruits is discoloration, white or black spots that stand out against the colour of the cherries.
A trick for worm-infested cherries
If you already have cherries at home but aren't sure they are edible, you can still use a little-known trick. Place the fruits in a bowl, cover them with cold water, and add a bit of salt. Don't worry — in 15 or 20 minutes, the taste of the salt won't transfer to the fruits, but it will draw out any potential inhabitants. If none appear, you can be sure that your cherries are free from them and can start eating them!
To ensure maximum freshness, buying your cherries between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time, when stores typically restock their fruit supplies, is best. Happy cherry-picking!
