Do Blackberries Need To Be Refrigerated? Click here to see it in more detail
Blackberries are a delicious and healthy treat that can, unfortunately, spoil quite quickly if not stored correctly. If you’re not planning on eating the berries right away, you must keep them at low temperature.
Yes. Blackberries have to be refrigerated, otherwise, they will start declining rapidly and become a breeding ground for bacteria.
Below you will find out how to properly store the berries so that they stay incredibly fresh for up to a whole week.
Do Blackberries Need to Be Refrigerated?
Blackberries should be left at warm temperatures only if you’re eating them. Once you’re done, you would have to put the leftovers into the fridge to keep the berries from getting contaminated.
Blackberries can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 7 days if stored correctly. Before placing the berries inside the appliance, make sure to get rid of any bruised berries.
How to Properly Store Blackberries
You can keep the blackberries in the original container packaging (a clamshell or a berry box), just make sure to place this container in the low-humidity crisper drawer in your fridge.
A crisper drawer that has been set to low humidity will let out some of the ethylene gases that can lead to faster rotting. Therefore, your berries will stay fresher for longer in such a drawer.
Blackberries should not be placed in an airtight container. If you don’t have a vented clamshell or a berry box, you can use any container without the top to store the berries. Ventilation is extremely important as blackberries are capable of producing ethylene that causes the berries to ripen and, consequently, go bad a lot faster. Proper airflow is also crucial as it allows extra water to evaporate.
No matter what container you decide to go for, you can place a paper towel at the bottom – this extra touch will help absorb even more moisture.
You would also want to ensure that the blackberries are not packed too tightly in the container. Ideally, they have to be stored in a single layer and not touching one another, so that every single berry is able to ‘breathe’.
Should You Wash Blackberries Before Refrigerating Them?
Remember that you should not rinse blackberries until you’re actually ready to consume them.
Place them in the refrigerator as they are to avoid adding too much moisture to the berries. If you have already washed the berries, there isn’t exactly a way to dry them completely. Unfortunately, they will stay slightly damp and this, in its turn, might lead to mold growth.
With that being said, you are allowed to wash the berries if you’re planning on placing them in the freezer.
Can You Store Blackberries in the Freezer?
If you want to be able to enjoy blackberries even during winter, then you might want to freeze them. If frozen and stored correctly, the berries can last for 6 months. You can store them for longer, but that will heavily affect the flavor and the texture.
We also have other articles you may find useful on our website like Do Blackberries Need To Be Refrigerated?, Do Biscuits Need To Be Refrigerated? and Do Apple Turnovers Need To Be Refrigerated
To make sure that your delicious blackberries do not form a clump, flash-freeze them before placing them in the appliance for long-term storage.
- Place all the berries in a strainer and gently rinse them under cold water.
- Before putting the berries away, you would want to make sure that they are dry. You can lay the blackberries in a single layer on paper towels and allow them to air dry for a few hours. To speed up the process, you can choose to pat the berries dry with a paper towel.
- To prepare the blackberries for flash freezing, you would have to arrange them on a baking sheet placed on a cookie sheet or a big plate. Make sure that the berries are not touching one another as otherwise they will clump together.
- Flash freeze the yumminess for 1-3 hours. You can leave the berries at freezing temperatures for longer, just make sure that they’re not stored in the appliance for more than 12 hours.
- Now you can put the frozen berries into plastic bags or a freezer-safe container and store them away for a few months. As you have flash froze the berries, they will not stick to each other.
