Blackberries are a tasty source of vitamins for snacking between late July and well into autumn. However, to be on the safe side, they should be washed before consumption or further processing.

Beware of wild blackberries

Wild blackberries are usually even more aromatic than the cultivated varieties for growing in your own garden. However, they can also be infected with the fox tapeworm pathogen, which can lead to life-threatening diseases in humans. Therefore, blackberries collected in the forest and on embankments should be washed before each consumption even better than blackberries from your own garden. The rule of thumb to only pick fruit from a certain height from wild blackberry tendrils also helps as protection. Nevertheless, these fruits should not be nibbled on the spot, but washed with water at home and safely consumed or processed.

Only wash the delicate blackberries gently

Strawberries, peaches and apples are compact in their fruit form and firm enough to be washed under running water with light rubbing pressure. Blackberries, on the other hand, are so fragile in shape and structure that they are easily crushed in this process. Therefore, it is better to wash them in a water bath with lukewarm water. For this you need the following things:

  • a big bowl
  • a sieve, for example a pasta sieve
  • some kitchen paper to drain

You can also put the blackberries directly into the sieve when you pick them, in which you then wash the blackberries. Fill the bowl with clean water and use the strainer to slowly lower the blackberries into the water. Gently move the fruit around to get it clean all over. Then the blackberries are placed on some kitchen paper to dry, as they mold very quickly when they are wet, even in the refrigerator.

fruit with stem

When collecting, you should actually only harvest those fruits that can be detached from the stalk with a light pull. If there are still stalks on the fruit that you want to preserve, for example by freezing, you should only remove them after washing.

tips and tricks

If you go hiking with your family to collect blackberries and want to eat them straight away, you should take a small bottle of water and a bowl with you to wash them down.

Category:

Vegetable garden