Fortunately for berry lovers, this is not true. After having your strawberries or blueberries for a few days, it’s not unusual to notice a moldy berry or two. The good news is this doesn’t mean that you have to throw all those delicious berries away.

While you should never eat a moldy berry, those that don’t have any gray or white fuzz on them should be fine to eat (although you should try to eat them soon). Even accidently eating a moldy berry is unlikely to make you sick. The shape and small size of berries helps protect them from the more dangerous molds that affect foods.

Here’s how to help your berries stay fresher

Always refrigerate your berries when you get home. It’s best to wash your berries just before you eat them since moisture can encourage mold growth. Cleaning your refrigerator every few months with a solution of water and baking soda (one tablespoon to one quart of water) is also a good idea. Mold spores can settle on surfaces and easily spread to other foods in your refrigerator. A nice clean refrigerator might just help your delicious berries last a little longer!