3 extremely easy tips to distinguish Moc Chau strawberries from Chinese strawberries

Strawberry season is in full swing, and all over the streets and markets, boxes of carefully packaged strawberries are displayed. Especially the surprisingly low prices make many women not know which strawberries are good and which ones are chemically treated.

Currently on the market, strawberries from the highlands of Moc Chau, Son La or from Da Lat are pouring into the cities with many prices. From 35 thousand/box to more than 100 thousand/box, so how to distinguish strawberries to choose delicious strawberries?

Photo of Dalat strawberries (left) and Chinese strawberries (right)

How to distinguish Moc Chau strawberries and Chinese strawberries

The first thing to understand is that Chinese strawberries are not necessarily "fake" or low-quality goods. Many types of Chinese strawberries are grown and cared for with standard criteria, and high-quality goods are available. Strawberries in China in many places range from about 70 thousand VND/kg to 350 thousand VND/kg. Knowing the following tips will help you buy delicious, sweet strawberries.

Moc Chau strawberries bought at the traditional market are uneven in size.

Based on size

The first thing when buying strawberries, you should observe that Moc Chau strawberries will not be even, with different sizes. Therefore, the seller will classify the fruits into similar sizes for sale. They will classify strawberries into King size, mini size,... with various prices. Chinese strawberries have more even fruits, usually arranged in trays. As for the cheaper ones, they are displayed in boxes.

Based on the shape and color of strawberries

Moc Chau strawberries are usually large at the top of the stem and gradually taper towards the tip. Chinese strawberries are long, flat, and have a pointed bottom.

Chinese strawberries are evenly red and beautiful.

To get a clearer picture of the Chinese strawberries that are widely sold in Vietnamese markets, look at their color. Chinese strawberries are evenly red, fresh, and look very beautiful. Chinese strawberries often have a long stem at the top of the fruit.

Based on hardness

Chinese strawberries and Moc Chau strawberries both have many Japanese varieties, but the Moc Chau strawberries are moderately firm and have a bright red color. Chinese strawberries are like dyed in a dark color, not as fresh as our strawberries.

Moc Chau strawberries bought at the local market for 60 thousand VND/box have many white parts at the stem, the shape of the fruit is tapered towards the tip.

Based on fruit texture and taste

Chinese strawberries are all red, while Moc Chau strawberries are often a mixture of light red and white. The white color of Chinese strawberries is rare. The strawberry variety in Moc Chau has a sharper sweetness and a light sour taste, a cool aroma. Chinese strawberries are bland, not fragrant, not sweet, crumbly, and if sweet, a bit burnt.

Based on storage time

Strawberries should be used immediately after picking, the longer they are kept, the less quality and flavor they will have. Moc Chau strawberries can usually only be kept for about 2 days at room temperature, 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. After that time, the strawberries will start to darken and lose flavor.

Moc Chau strawberries (left photo) and Chinese strawberries have different storage times.

Chinese strawberries usually last for about 8 to 10 days without spoiling. Some batches of strawberries can even be moldy after 2 weeks. Ladies, pay attention to street vendors selling strawberries on the street. Even in the sun or wind, the strawberries are still fresh. These are strawberries with chemicals. In essence, strawberries exposed to the sun or wind for a long time will wilt and darken, not looking good.

Above are some tips to distinguish Moc Chau strawberries and Chinese strawberries. But do you know, to choose delicious and safe strawberries, there are other tips? Check it out now.

Notes when buying strawberries

Do not buy red seeded strawberries

Normally, when buying strawberries, you will see strawberry seeds on the surface and they are usually yellow. Do not buy the ones with red seeds. That shows that they have been soaked in chemicals or sprayed with stimulants to ripen quickly.

Look at the color of the seeds to know if the strawberries have been sprayed with pesticides or not.

Do not buy strawberries with strange shapes

Many people will be interested in fruits with beautiful shapes such as heart-shaped or large sizes that stand out from other fruits. However, with normal strawberry varieties, there will be no such mutant fruits. This type of strawberry is bland and not good for health.

Stay away from "abnormal" sized strawberries

Don't buy smooth strawberries

You may find shiny strawberries more appealing than those with black hairs on their surface. However, pick up a strawberry and look at it. If it doesn’t have hairs, it’s probably not fresh. And you shouldn’t buy it.

Buy strawberries with a layer of fluff on the surface.

Once you have bought good strawberries, you need to wash them to remove dirt. Do you know how to clean strawberries?

How to wash strawberries very simply

In another bowl of water, add a little salt to dissolve and soak for about 5-10 minutes. The salt water concentration should not be high, it should be light to remove insect eggs stuck on the surface of the strawberries.

If you observe that the water is a light red color, it is normal, that is the natural pigment of the strawberry. If the water is dark red, it is very likely that the strawberry has been dyed and should not be eaten.

The next step is to use rice water, gently add the strawberries and soak for about 5 minutes. The alkalinity of rice water can break down the remaining acid in pesticides.

Finally, rinse with clean water. Drain and remove the strawberry stem and enjoy.

How to preserve uneaten strawberries?

If you have not eaten or finished strawberries, you can arrange them on a tray, cover them with a layer of paper towel and place them in the refrigerator. You can also wrap them in plastic wrap, but you should spread them out and not stack them on top of each other. Strawberries can only be stored for about 1-2 days, so you should eat them as you buy them. Do not buy too many because they will spoil easily.

Strawberries are known as the "queen of fruits" because they contain a lot of vitamin C, vitamin E, pectin and many other minerals. Vitamin C in strawberries is 7-10 times higher than in apples and grapes. Although nutritious, strawberries contain a type of oxalic acid that has a negative effect on fetal development, so pregnant women need to be careful when eating them.

With the useful information above, hopefully you are confident enough to buy boxes of fresh, juicy strawberries to enjoy, right?

According to Family and Society