About
Fresh cranberries are usually available in stores from October to December.
Choose berries that are bright in color with a smooth, glossy, firm skin.
Fresh cranberries have small air-filled pockets inside. This will cause the berry to bounce when dropped or float in water.
Cranberries are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. Studies have linked cranberries to urinary tract health and they may help protect against heart disease and some kinds of cancer.
Storage
Fresh cranberries can be stored in the fridge in their original package for two to four weeks.
Freeze fresh cranberries in plastic food storage bags for up to twelve months.
Preparation
Sort fresh berries to remove stems and throw out any soft, wrinkled or damaged berries.
Rinse with cold water and drain well. If cranberries are frozen, no need to thaw before use; rinse in cold water and drain well.
Adapted from Murphy, H. (n.d.). Foods Indigenous to the Western Hemisphere. Retrieved July 30, 2020, from http://www.aihd.ku.edu/foods/cranberry.html, Bristow, P. R., Caruso, F. L., & Oudemans, P. V. (n.d.). Cranberries: The Most Intriguing Native North American Fruit, https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/apsnetfeatures/Pages/Cranberries.aspx, Harker, J., & Parry, D. (2018). History of the American Cranberry, http://www.cranberrycreations.com/history.html, https://extension.psu.edu/preserving-cranberries and https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/use_preserve_cranberries.html.
