Blueberries. You can bake them, freeze them, add them to a sauce or just eat them fresh. It doesn’t matter how you eat them, just make sure you do.
These juicy berries are absolutely bursting with health.Blueberries contain one of the highest antioxidant levels amongst commonly consumed fruit and vegetables.
But how can one tell if blueberries are bad? The shelf life of blueberries depends on when they are picked and the way they are preserved.
Health benefits of eating blueberries are numerous:
- They support the health of blood vessels and reduce arterial stiffness which is associated with aging.
2. Blueberries are both low in sugar and a good source of fibre.They help improve insulin sensitivity which is important for managing blood sugar levels.
3. Including blueberries regularly in your diet may improve vision and guard against age-related macular degeneration.
4. Traditional medicine suggests that blueberries are a useful remedy for gastrointestinal disorders and urinary tract infections.
These are just a few advantages related to eating blueberries frequently.
How long do blueberries last before its time to dispose and till when are they edible?Find out below.
How long do blueberries last in the fridge?
Blueberries are a delicious fruit,best enjoyed in spring and summer when they are fresh off the blueberry plant.
They can be consumed straight from the stalk after rinsing,or used in hundreds of different ways.
As established earlier,blueberries are best eaten fresh. If you’re don’t intend to eat them in the next 24 hours, you should put them in the fridge.
Blueberries would stay fresh in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks. After that,they may begin to get stale. If you wait much longer,you will end up throwing them out.
Here are a few hacks to make sure your blackberries last longer in the fridge:
1.Store them in a container that is not airtight. This ensures free air circulation.
2.If you notice any ones going soft or moldy,remove them quickly to avoid spreading rot to others.
3.Line the storage container with paper towels to soak up moisture.
4.Store in the crisper compartment.
Read Also: How to Protect Blueberries from Birds
Are blueberries still good after 2 weeks?
You’re thinking of eating the blueberries you bought a fortnight ago?
You should think again because they may already have gone bad especially if they were not put in the fridge.
Fresh blueberries should be consumed within a day after they are bought or picked. Beyond that,they must be refrigerated to keep them for up to 2 weeks.
Blueberries will not be good past 2 weeks unless you make frozen berries with them.These can last for up to 12 weeks in the freezer.
How To Tell If Blueberries Are Bad
Rotting blueberries are not difficult to notice. Here are 4 giveaways signs that blueberries have gone bad:
1.Mold
2.Discoloration
3.Bruised skin
4.Squishy texture
1. Mold
This is the most obvious sign of blueberries that are bad. The white fuzzy stuff on fruit immediately tells you that it is not safe for eating.
Blueberries with mold should be disposed of immediately. There’s no health benefit of eating moldy blueberries and it can actually spread to other good fruit.
Plus,it would taste unpleasant.You want to keep this far away.
2. Discoloration
Fresh blueberries have a characteristic blue color. If your blueberries begin to lose their blue colour,it safe to say they are no longer fresh.
Throw out blueberries that do not have normal colour and appearance.
Read also: How to Propagate Boysenberries
3. Bruised skin
Shriveled blueberries or berries with visible spots may have reached the end of their shelf life. Sometimes bruises are because they are soft and too delicate.
However, these berries can often be salvaged. They can be made into jams or jellies. A bruised berry is still okay to eat as long as its not moldy.
Consider adding them to pancakes or blueberry pies.
4. Squishy texture
Soft,mushy texture indicates that blueberries are overripe. Overripe blueberries are also sour to taste.
This is a definite sign that the blueberries have gone bad. Blueberries should have tight, bright blue skin and firm texture.
Now you know how to tell if blueberries are bad or not.
Is it OK to eat shriveled up blueberries?
The golden rule when it comes to fruit is “do NOT eat if it has mold on it”. Eating mold can make you very sick.
That a blueberry is wrinkly does not necessarily mean it has gone bad. It just shows that it is not as fresh as it could be and it won’t taste nearly as nice as a firm,fresh one would.
It is safe to eat blueberries that have shrivelled if:
•there’s no mold on them
•they dont have bruised skin
•the colours are still vibrant and blue
•there are no leaking juices
If you must consume shriveled blueberries or just dont want to waste them,a good idea is to bake something with them or make jam.
What happens if you eat bad blueberries?
It’s happened to most people at some point: you decide to make a fruit salad, but as you start preparing the ingredients, you suddenly realize that the blueberries you had in the fridge are moldy.
It’s even more heartbreaking when you’re already eating some fruit and you bite into one and realize it has gone bad.
But how bad could it really be?
Fortunately,accidentally eating moldy fruit is not uncommon.You ingest fruit mold more often than you think and usually without even realizing it. And that is not a dangerous thing.
On the flip side,you might develop side effects.Some symptoms to look out for include nausea, vomiting, gas, and diarrhea. These are signs of gastrointestinal problems as a result of consuming bad blueberries.
Then again,different strokes for different folks.People with mold allergies will want to be particularly careful of their exposure to moldy fruit.
To be on the safe side, please do not eat bad blueberries intentionally.
If you do consume moldy fruit,the first thing to do is protect your gut health.
To stimulate your gut microbiome(good bacteria),eat some fermented foods like yogurt and you should feel better soon.
In summary,
Blueberries,like all fruit are best served and consumed as soon as possible.
Most blueberries in the grocery store will have already spent a few days to a week off the bush, as they had to be picked, packed, and transported.That’s going to reduce their shelf life.
If you’re not up to eating fruit salad just yet,thats okay. Your blueberries can be cleaned and stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
How to tell if blueberries are bad? Watch out for wrinkled, mushy, moldy, discoloured berries. Those are the signs that berries that have gone bad.
