Yes—it is possible that the white, wriggling things were fruit-fly larvae, particularly spotted-wing drosophila larvae. University agricultural extension programs actually use salt-water solutions to detect these tiny white larvae inside strawberries and other soft fruit.
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Extension | University of New Hampshire
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However, the viral claim that every strawberry contains hidden worms is misleading. Infestation is not universal, and some dramatic social-media videos have been staged or misleading.
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Food Network
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What should you do with those strawberries?
If you actually saw larvae emerging from several berries, I’d discard the affected strawberries, especially if they’re soft, damaged, leaking, or beginning to rot.
Don’t rely on salt water as a routine substitute for normal produce washing.
For strawberries you’re keeping, rinse them thoroughly under cool running water just before eating and remove damaged or moldy fruit.
Accidentally eating a tiny fruit-fly larva is generally not considered a poisoning risk, although finding them can obviously be unpleasant.
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rtl.de
So, unfortunately, what you saw may have been real—but it doesn’t mean your strawberries are routinely full of worms. 🫣🍓
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