Recently, a user on the social media platform Twitter shared a video showcasing the use of a microscope to examine the surface of a freshly picked strawberry.
Image of a strawberry under a microscope.
The video quickly garnered over 7.4 million views, revealing something “unexpected” living beneath the seemingly appealing surface of this fruit.
It turns out that the creature is a type of mite, very small in size, commonly found on strawberries and plant stems. They lay their eggs along the leaf veins and prefer to feed on the nutrients from the leaves as well as the small seeds on the surface of the strawberry.
This video has made those who eat strawberries directly without washing them reconsider their habits. While there is no evidence that these mites pose a health risk, observing them crawling and living on strawberries might make many people feel “creeped out.”
Strawberries are a genus of flowering plants in the rose family. Originating from the Americas, they were cultivated by European gardeners in the 18th century to create the widely grown strawberry varieties we have today.
Interestingly, strawberries are not true berries as many might think. The fruit develops from the receptacle of the flower.
Strawberries are highly valued for their distinctive aroma, bright red color, juiciness…
Each “seed” on the outer surface of a strawberry is actually one of the ovaries of the flower, containing a seed inside. As a result, this area also attracts various insects and small bugs that come to pollinate.
Strawberries are appreciated for their unique fragrance, vibrant red color, juiciness, and sweetness. In addition to being eaten fresh as a nutritious fruit, they are also processed into jams, juices, cakes, and ice creams…
In 2017, the global strawberry production reached 9.22 million tons, with China accounting for 40% of the total output. In Vietnam, the cool climate of the Da Lat highlands is ideal for strawberry cultivation, making this fruit a specialty of the region.
