Salt water doesn’t create insects—it simply reveals what was already there.
When berries are soaked:
T
he salt irritates or stresses any larvae inside
Oxygen levels change in the water
The larvae may try to escape the fruit
Tiny movements become easier to see
So what looks like something “emerging” is usually just the natural reaction of organisms that were already present before washing.
This is why you might never notice anything unusual when eating berries straight from the container—but see activity once they’re soaked.
Does this mean the berries are unsafe?
