To preserve your strawberry harvest and keep your berries fresh for as long as possible, proper storage is key, focusing on humidity and temperature control.
Here's how to do it:
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Maintain High Humidity: The optimal humidity for strawberry storage is between 90 and 95 percent. This prevents water loss, keeping the berries from shriveling.
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Refrigeration:
- Crisper Drawer: Store strawberries in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. This section is designed to maintain higher humidity levels.
- Containers: Keep strawberries in their original closed plastic clamshell containers or place them in a partially opened plastic bag. This helps trap moisture and maintain the ideal humidity.
- Don't Wash Before Storing: Avoid washing the strawberries before storing them, as this can introduce excess moisture and promote mold growth. Wash them just before you're ready to eat them.
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Temperature: Maintain a consistent cool temperature in your refrigerator (ideally between 32-36°F or 0-2°C).
Summary:
By maintaining high humidity (90-95%) and storing unwashed strawberries in a closed container in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator, you can significantly extend the life of your strawberry harvest and enjoy fresh, flavorful berries for a longer period.
