No. Moisture left on washed fruit creates conditions that encourage mold and decay during storage; delicate-skinned fruit such as strawberries and blackberries can spoil within a few hours for this reason. Store fruit unwashed in a ventilated container and wash it just before eating. Remove bruised pieces right away.
Fruit skin is a natural protective layer with a thin coating of wax on it. Washing removes some of this coating and leaves moisture behind. Mold spores are everywhere; moisture on the surface is what activates them. As a result, washed fruit stored while still wet molds and decays noticeably sooner than unwashed fruit. Do not leave fruit from the market in a plastic bag, where moisture builds up quickly. A grocery crate is not suitable for carrying fruit either; unpack the fruit as soon as you get home.
The effect is greatest with thin-skinned fruit. If strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and mulberries are washed before storage, they can soften and develop fuzzy mold within a few hours. Grapes and cherries last a little longer, but the outcome is the same. Thick-skinned fruit such as apples, pears, and citrus lasts longer, but still should not be washed unnecessarily in advance. Bananas are a separate case: because they have thick skin, temperature and ethylene matter more than washing.
The right routine is simple. Unpack fruit as soon as you bring it home, remove bruised or crushed pieces, and put the rest in a ventilated container or a perforated basket. Lining the bottom with a paper towel can absorb excess moisture. Arrange the fruit unwashed in a single layer; pieces piled on top of one another crush each other, and decay starts where fruit is bruised. Decide separately which fruit belongs in the refrigerator; some kinds lose flavor in the cold.
Removing bruised pieces matters because mold spreads. A single moldy strawberry can spread it to neighboring berries it touches, and half the container can spoil overnight. Check the fruit every day and discard any questionable pieces. Soft fruit without mold should be used right away; set it aside for compote, jam, or a smoothie. Also remove berries that touched a moldy piece because mold may have spread where it is not visible. Wash and dry the container each time it is emptied, since leftover fruit juice at the bottom feeds mold.
Wash fruit just before eating. Hold it under running water rather than soaking it; fruit left in water for a long time loses flavor and absorbs water. Rub firm-skinned fruit by hand while washing. Drain and dry washed fruit. If you wash more than you need for one meal, dry the extra fruit thoroughly, then store it in a closed container for a short time. A brief soak in vinegar water is another option, but the fruit must be dried completely afterward. Spreading washed fruit in a single layer on a paper towel helps it dry quickly without being crushed.
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Çileği alır almaz yıkayıp dolaba koyuyordum, iki günde küfleniyordu. Yıkamayı yemeden önceye aldım, bir haftaya çıktı. Aynı şeyi böğürtlende de denedim, orada fark daha da belirgin; ıslak böğürtlen ertesi gün dağılmaya başlıyor.