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For every couple of fresh blueberries you pop into your mouth and enjoy, there are always a few that end up mushy or covered in fuzzy mould in the blink of an eye. As juicy and delectable as these fresh berries are, they're also an impossibly delicate fruit.

Blueberries may be small, but they can carry a great deal of pesticide residue, dirt, and bacteria. If you're rinsing them under plain water and calling it a day, it might be time to step up your berry-cleaning routine to keep them fresh for longer. With this in mind, food storage expert Amy Cross took to her Instagram page @thecrosslegacy to share her go-to method for keeping blueberries "long-lasting".

Amy claims that blueberries are "one of the longest-lasting berries" when they are stored correctly.

She said: "When you wash and store them correctly, they can stay fresh for six to eight weeks." Simply fill a large bowl with water, add the blueberries, and pour in one quarter of a cup of 5% distilled white vinegar.

Set a timer for two minutes and leave the blueberries to soak in the vinegar rinse.

Once the time is up, drain the blueberries through a colander and give them a swift rinse to remove any remaining debris left behind from washing.

With the blueberries thoroughly rinsed, spread them out to dry in a single layer on a cloth towel and leave them for several hours until completely bone dry.

Once fully dried, the blueberries are ready to be stored away. Amy said that she prefers putting them in mason jars before storing the fruit in the fridge.

Both metal and plastic lidded jars are perfectly suitable for blueberries, as well as any other variety of berries.

A paper towel should be placed at the bottom of the jar to absorb any excess moisture.