The average American eats about five pounds (2.2 kg) of strawberries each year. Once the strawberry’s bloom has been pollinated, it takes about a month for the berry to emerge and then ripen from a hard and white to a red berry that is sweet and firm.
Check out the process sped up to only 15 seconds:
If you’re familiar with fresh strawberries, you know how quickly they can turn on you. Moisture causes the fruit to soften, which makes it more susceptible to bruising and thus decaying, which is why you shouldn’t wash them until right before you intend to eat them. Even without washing they bruise very easily, so keeping them packed together in the container they were purchased in invites fruit that gets damaged and squishy, which will rot more quickly. As they start to rot, a gas is emitted that helps expedite the process, which is another downfall to keeping them piled in together.
Check out this video showing what happens when strawberries are left out for 2 weeks:
