Recently, rumors have been circulating with regard to the
effectiveness of cleaning strawberries to remove infestation
by soaking them in soapy water and rinsing under a strong
stream of water.
Upon hearing criticism of this method, Rav Moshe Vaye of
Yerushalayim conducted new experiments to verify his
recommended method, with strawberries from fields with
unusually high levels of infestation. His findings were that
this method is effective in removing all the insects,
provided, of course, that it is done thoroughly.
We will review the procedure for cleaning strawberries, as
described in Rav Vaye's sefer Bedikas Hamozone
Cahalocho. (The first volume, in Hebrew, has recently
been reissued.)
1. Buy firm, nicely shaped strawberries.
2. Cut off the green leaf together with a millimeter of the
fruit. Remove cracks, folds, and soft spots. It is preferable
to also halve the berries.
3. Soak the berries in water with a little dishwashing liquid
for 3 minutes.
4. Rinse a handful at a time under a strong jet of water.
It's a good idea to rub the berries lightly as you're
rinsing.
