Strawberries - best organic and fresh

On the berry theme, back to strawberries this time. A resent study looked at organic and conventional strawberries and the effect of storage on the antioxidant levels. The conclusion was:

• Organic strawberries had higher levels of antioxidant enzymes
• Organic strawberries had higher levels of total antioxidant compounds (eg higher flavonoid levels than conventional systems)
• That strawberries stored at 10 degrees C had higher levels of antioxidants than the 5 or 0 degree storage temperatures

Guess what - strawberries are stored in the fridge/cooler at approximately 5 degrees cause that makes them last longer! (about a week or so) So in conclusion, purchase fresh organic strawberries from the grower and eat them asap.

Reference: Peng Jina, Shiow Y. Wangc, Chien Y. Wanga, and Yonghua Zheng. Effect of cultural system and storage temperature on antioxidant capacity and phenolic compounds in strawberries. Food Chemistry Volume 124, Issue 1, 1 January 2011, Pages 262-270