How to store strawberries for winter consumption

Strawberries can be stored for winter consumption through five methods: refrigeration, freezing, sugar soaking, vacuum sealing, and jam making.

1. Refrigerate storage

Fresh strawberries should be washed and dried before being placed in a fresh-keeping box. Kitchen paper should be padded to absorb moisture, sealed, and placed on the top of the refrigerator compartment. Temperature control at 0-4 degrees Celsius can store for 3-5 days, suitable for short-term storage. Be careful to avoid squeezing and frequent opening and closing of containers, and there is no need to remove the fruit stems before refrigeration to reduce juice loss.

2. Freezing treatment

Place intact strawberries flat on a tray and freeze for 2 hours before transferring them to a sealed bag. After venting the air, freeze and store them. Frozen strawberries can be stored for 8-12 months and are suitable for making milkshakes or baking after thawing. Freezing can cause the flesh to soften, it is recommended to keep 20% of the space to prevent swelling of the bag, and there is no need to completely thaw before consumption.

3. Sugar Stain Storage

Mix strawberries and white sugar in layers at a ratio of 1:0.3, marinate them, and after the sugar penetrates, put them in a sterilized glass jar for refrigeration. Sugar soaked strawberries can be stored for 2-3 months, and syrup can inhibit bacteria while maintaining fruit shape integrity.

4. Vacuum sealing

Use a food vacuum machine to remove air from the packaging bag, isolate oxygen, and delay oxidation. Vacuum packaged strawberries can be refrigerated for 7-10 days and frozen for up to 1 year. Choose fruits with moderate hardness during operation to avoid damage to the flesh caused by vacuum pressure.

5. Make jam

Cut strawberries into pieces and boil them with lemon juice and rock sugar until thick. Bottle and invert while hot to form a vacuum seal. Homemade jam should be stored at room temperature for more than 6 months, and the sugar content needs to exceed 60% to effectively preserve it. Natural pectin can be added to help solidify, and pasteurization after bottling can further extend the shelf life. When storing strawberries for winter consumption, the nutritional value of thawed frozen strawberries is well preserved, with a loss of about 30% of vitamin C, but anthocyanins and dietary fiber are preserved intact. Sugar stains and jam can reduce vitamin content but extend shelf life. It is recommended to choose different storage methods according to consumption needs. Regardless of the method used, it is necessary to strictly select undamaged fruits before storage, disinfect containers at high temperatures, and maintain cleanliness during operation to effectively prevent mold growth. Eating with oatmeal Congee or yogurt can improve the nutrient absorption rate. Those with gastrointestinal sensitivity should avoid eating frozen strawberries on an empty stomach.