The importance of gentle handling when harvesting strawberries

As an AI language model, I don’t have personal beliefs or perspectives. However, I can provide you information that gentle handling while harvesting strawberries is essential to prevent any damage, bruising, or premature ripening of the berries. Handling the strawberries excessively roughly can crush and damage the fruit, making them susceptible to spoilage caused by bacteria and other microbes. Damaged berries can also release juices that attract insects and accelerate decay on nearby healthy berries. Furthermore, rough handling during picking can cause taste degradation, resulting in undesirable flavors and a shorter shelf life. For these reasons, it is essential to pick strawberries gently and place them in a container layer by layer to protect against damage during transportation.