California strawberries are hand-picked to ensure only the highest quality berries are selected. Fresh strawberries are rushed to coolers, where huge fans pull out the field heat. From there they are shipped on refrigerated trucks or air freighted to their final destination. Strawberries selected for processing are gently washed and sorted, and frozen quickly to ensure that the best flavor and appearance are retained. Berries may be sliced, puréed or kept whole for freezing.

Maintaining Quality & Safety in California Fresh Strawberries
Gain new insights on the best practices for maintaining the quality, safety and marketability of fresh California strawberries from this multimedia presentation presented by the California Strawberry Commission and the Postharvest Technology Research and Information Center at UC Davis presented on April 15, 2008. Hosted by Dr. Jim Gorny, executive director at the Postharvest Center, expert speakers and topics include:

Retail Handling and Storage
Increase the profitability of strawberries by minimizing waste. Proper care in handling and storage will ensure a higher yield and longer shelf life. View and print a guide to Best Handling Practices for Fresh Strawberries.

Watch the Training DVD: Make the Most of Your California Strawberry Sales
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Maintain Quality for Every Delivery of California Strawberries

• Refrigerate strawberries before inspection and count to minimize product shrinkage.
• Keep strawberries well inside the cooler. Store away from entry areas and refrigeration units, which may expose strawberries to harmful temperature changes.
• Place cartons of strawberries on top of mixed produce stacks. Strawberries are delicate!
• Check for proper installation of strip curtains in the cooler doorway. Strip curtains also help maintain good temperature control.
• Keep strawberries away from moisture and misters. Moisture will cause rapid breakdown.
• Stock strawberry displays early in the day. Check and rotate product every two hours. Keep all displays full, especially during peak shopping hours of 4 to 8 p.m.
• Establish multiple end-cap displays in primary positions during peak availability in the spring and summer.
• Merchandise strawberries in consistent locations throughout the year. Many retailers are using refrigerated display units. Research shows that the use of properly positioned and sized refrigerated displays can improve unit sell-through at the store level by up to 3%.

Consumer Tips on Fresh

• California strawberries are fully ripe at the time they are picked and do not continue to ripen after picking. They should have bright red color, natural shine and fresh looking green caps.
• Always refrigerate your strawberries immediately.
• Keep berries away from moisture and stack carefully.
• Don't wash berries until just before use.
• Leave green caps on and wash berries with a gentle spray of cool water.
• After washing, remove the green caps from berries with a light twist or with the point of a paring knife.

Consumer Tips On Frozen

• Proper thawing takes time. Refrigerator thawing is recommended to retain better shape. In fact, if you want to retain the best flavor and texture, serve strawberries while they're still slightly frozen.
• If thawing at room temperature, keep strawberries in a clean, sanitary environment.
• Cover and refrigerate unused thawed berries within two hours.
• Never try to speed up the thawing process by running water over the outside of the container. This can promote the growth of bacteria.
• After thawing, keep berries refrigerated and use within three days. Never re-freeze.

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