No. Strawberries are healthy and delicious. The risk is negligible.
What’s the best way to avoid eating larvae?
Cook your berries. Heat kills larvae. If you eat them raw, accept that you may be consuming tiny amounts of insect protein.
A Reassuring Conclusion
Here’s what I want you to take away from this article.
Those tiny white worms are not a sign that your berries are “contaminated” or “unsafe.” They’re a sign that your berries were grown outdoors, in soil, in the real world.
Spotted wing drosophila larvae are not harmful. They’re not a food safety issue. They’re a cosmetic issue.
If the thought of eating them grosses you out, soak your berries in salt water or vinegar water. Or cook them. Or don’t. You’ve almost certainly eaten them before without knowing it, and you’re fine.
I still eat strawberries. I don’t soak them. I don’t worry. And I’ve never been sick.
You can do the same.
Now I’d love to hear from you. Have you tried the salt water soak? Did you see larvae? Did it ruin strawberries for you? Drop a comment below – I read every single one.
And if this article helped you stop worrying about your berries, please share it with a friend who’s been avoiding strawberries since seeing that viral video. A text, a link, a conversation. Good information is the best antidote to fear. 
