I soaked my berries in salt water and saw these white wiggling things come out. Should I just throw them away?

How to Reduce the Chances Next Time

While you can’t completely eliminate the risk, a few steps can help:

• Inspect before buying: Avoid overly soft or damaged berries.
• Refrigerate quickly: Cold temperatures slow down larval development.
• Wash before eating: Rinse under running water or use a brief soak (salt or vinegar solution).
• Buy local or in-season: Fresher berries may have had less exposure.

The Bottom Line

Finding tiny white larvae in your berries is unpleasant, but not uncommon. They’re generally harmless from a health perspective, but whether you keep or toss the berries comes down to personal comfort.

If nothing else, this experience offers a reminder: fresh produce is truly natural—and sometimes that means sharing it with nature in ways we don’t expect.