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

What Are Those White “Worms”?

In most cases, those little white creatures are the larvae of small fruit flies—often from species like Drosophila suzukii. Unlike common fruit flies that lay eggs on overripe fruit, this particular species can lay eggs inside fresh, ripening berries.

That means the larvae can already be inside the fruit when you buy it—especially in soft fruits like strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries.

Why Do They Come Out in Salt Water?

When you soak berries in salt water, it creates an environment that irritates or stresses the larvae. In response, they wriggle out of the fruit.

So what you’re seeing isn’t something new—it’s something that was already there, just hidden.