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

What are they?

Those are likely the larvae of the Spotted Wing Drosophila (a type of fruit fly). Unlike common fruit flies that only go for overripe or rotting fruit, these guys lay their eggs inside fresh, ripening fruit while it’s still on the vine.

Are they dangerous?

• Safe to eat: While it’s definitely an “ick” factor, they are not known to carry diseases or be harmful to humans if accidentally ingested.

• Natural occurrence: Practically all fresh produce contains some level of microscopic or small insects. Most of the time, we just eat them without
  noticing because we don’t soak them in salt water first.

see continuation on next page