Question: How Fast Do Strawberries Mold?
Corye asked:
Which strawberry will mold the fastest, the one the porch or the one on the kitchen counter?
Answer to: How Fast Do Strawberries Mold?
Corye,
If you are talking about an actual strawberry, one left on the porch will likely be eaten by a feathered friend or other critters long before it has a chance to mold. Mold/fungi spores are virtually ubiquitous, so both will mold rapidly if not eaten by animals. The one on the kitchen counter will likely begin becoming moldy in a day or two if it isn’t refrigerated. For more related information, see the “Care After Picking” section on the Strawberry Picking page or the Strawberry Buying Guide.
This is a question submitted to StrawberryPlants.org by a reader. See the Strawberry FAQ for more questions and answers.
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straw
How long will it take to mold in the refrigerator?
Mary Ward
A lot depends on conditions when harvested, but they can keep up to a week or more without molding under the right conditions. Just don’t wash them until you’re ready to use them!
jerry hirschman 732 500-- 7868
I have a process that will control strawberries mold issues, which will be introduced at farm level–there will be slight increase in price—it would reduce the amount of strawberries being thrashed by mold
mrs.strawberry
I left two strawberrys in my lunchbox after being refrigerated they were in they’re for 1 1/2 days, is it moldy??? Ps I’m very afraid of mold, help!!!
~Mrs.Strawberry?
Mr. Strawberry
mrs.strawberry,
I personally wouldn’t eat them. Sorry!
Jhonson
You have Mycophobia
Orliss
Went strawberry picking yesterday between 11am & noon.
The berries were mostly red, firm and looked beautiful. Being new at this I thought that spreading the berries (along with the not so ripe berries) out on a counter overnight would bring better results by the morning. Now I have strawberries that have whitish areas that may be mold, some developed soft, mushy spots, and the few that looked ‘safe to eat’ were tasteless. What went wrong?
Mr. Strawberry
Orliss,
I’m not sure, but if you washed them, the extra moisture very well could have facilitated mold growth. Sorry!
strawberry girl
Gray mold of strawberries is caused by a fungus, Botrytis cinerea, which infects both the flowers and fruits. Because of this, Botrytis can greatly reduce fruit yields and is considered one of the most damaging diseases of strawberry. Botrytis is most prevalent during prolonged cool, wet weather during bloom and near harvest.
Thankfully strawberry girl
strawberry shortcake
what does the mold do though does it eat through or what? i think i remember reading from a website that mold is attracted to sweet fruits and something about going through
Straw Berry
strawberry shortcake,
Mold spores are ubiquitous. They end up coming in contact with the moist strawberry and growing into the fruit. Also, mycelium from fungus will often traverse such fruits and produce fruiting bodies called that send out spores also. Hopefully that helps!
immabeawannabe
why do strawberries mold though? like what does the mold do? scientific please
Mr. Strawberry
immabeawannabe,
Strawberries mold due to the rich substrate provided by their soft flesh. Mold spores are ubiquitous. When they come in contact with the flesh of the nutrient-dense strawberry, they send filamentous out-shoots into the berry decomposing and digesting it. For a better idea about how mycelium and fungi work, I would recommend this book.