How to Select & Store Blackberries

Blackberries are delicious, especially when we select a good container and eat them right away! I know it’s not always that simple with blackberries, so I have outlined what you need to look for, look out for, and how to maximize their shelf-life. This post is all about how to select, store and prepare blackberries in order to be able to enjoy them to their fullest.

(This post is an excerpt from The Produce Nerd’s Grocery Guide. You can learn more about the Grocery Guide, which covers this information for 55 different produce items, with input from 26 crop-specific companies HERE.)

What to look for when picking the best quality blackberries?

You want the berries to be firm and of full black color.

Common issues to avoid when selecting blackberries?

Pathogen growth (Botrytis cinerea (the white, fuzzy growth) is a common issue with berries, regardless of where they are stored. Make sure to pick up the clamshell and turn it over to check for any issues, including pathogen growth and any liquid in the container.

Are there any common issues that are specifically caused by bad grocery store handling?

When blackberries are not stored properly, they are quicker to develop pathogen growth.

(If you are interested in learning more about how pathogen growth occurs and develops on blackberries and other fruit, check out this post!)

What is the best way to store blackberries at home?

In the refrigerator. Also, make sure that you do not wash your blackberries until you are just about to eat them.

Are there any common things that consumers should look for not mentioned above?

Berries have a short shelf-life, so eat them quickly! Even if you store them properly in the refrigerator, pathogen growth and deterioration will occur quickly.

What is your favorite way to eat and prepare blackberries?

Plain, or with other fruit in a fruit bowl.
Frozen as a vanilla ice cream topper!
In a cobbler (but only if you make sure to take the seeds out first!)
I mix in blackberries with other seasonal fruit while juicing. It gives the juice a great, dark color and the juice has a very pleasant taste on it’s own, and when mixed together with other fruit.

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