CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Do you wash your fruits and vegetables before eating them?
WCNC Charlotte viewer Eleni saw a video on TikTok that supposedly shows worms coming out of a strawberry after the person washed them with a mixture of vinegar, water, and baking soda. But is this necessary?
THE QUESTION
Are there really worms coming out of these strawberries, and do you have to wash them with baking soda and vinegar to really clean them?
OUR SOURCES
No, worms are not coming out of the strawberries, and you do not need to wash them with vinegar and baking soda. But you should clean them before eating them.
WHAT WE FOUND
Gillman told WCNC Charlotte there is no truth to these claims at all.
“In the specific video you gave me, they did find a tiny fruit fly, but my question is, do you think you would have watched that fruit fly [just] fly off if you just ran the stuff under some water?” Gillman said.
We also tried this ourselves with strawberries, baking soda and vinegar. When we mixed the three together, just like in the TikTok videos, the baking soda made the water bubble up, and what was left over in the bowl were little stems which Gillman tells us are seeds and parts of the leaves.
The CDC recommends people wash or scrub fruits and vegetables under running water before eating them, even if they don't plan to eat the peel or skin, and washing them with soap is not recommended.
“It's better to use warm water than cold water that'll actually take more stuff off,” Gillman said.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
VERIFY is dedicated to helping the public distinguish between true and false information. The VERIFY team, with help from questions submitted by the audience, tracks the spread of stories or claims that need clarification or correction. Have something you want VERIFIED? Text us at 704-329-3600 or visit VERIFY.
VERIFY is dedicated to helping the public distinguish between true and false information. The VERIFY team, with help from questions submitted by the audience, tracks the spread of stories or claims that need clarification or correction. Have something you want VERIFIED? Text us at 704-329-3600 or visit VERIFY.