Strawberry | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is a widely consumed whole fruit prized for its flavour, natural sweetness, and rich content of vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre, and polyphenolic bioactive compounds. It is used fresh, frozen, dried, pureed, and as a functional flavouring ingredient across an extensive range of food and beverage products.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Strawberries are broadly recognised as safe for the general population and carry no established acceptable daily intake (ADI), as they are a whole food rather than a regulated additive. They are among the more commonly allergenic fruits, particularly in children, and can trigger oral allergy syndrome in individuals sensitised to birch pollen. Their moderate oxalate content may warrant dietary moderation in individuals with a history of calcium oxalate kidney stones.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Strawberry is a traditional whole food with a long history of human consumption in the EU and does not require novel food authorisation under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. Under EFSA's botanical safety framework, ingredients with historical food use and no identified hazardous compounds are classified Level A (presumption of safety).source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Strawberry is regulated as a fruit under FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011, Chapter 2.3. Jam and preserve products must contain not less than 25% strawberry fruit by weight of the finished product. Fresh strawberry is generally free of required food additives per FSSAI Appendix A.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Strawberry is a whole food/fruit and not a regulated food additive under 21 CFR. It is freely permitted as a food ingredient; standardised uses appear in 21 CFR Part 145 (e.g., canned strawberry pie filling). No intake restrictions exist.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Other — Individuals with a confirmed strawberry (Fragaria) allergy should avoid all forms of strawberry, as it is a documented allergenic fruit capable of causing reactions ranging from oral allergy syndrome to anaphylaxis.

Infants — Strawberries carry higher allergenic potential among fruits; introduction to infants under 12 months should be done gradually and with close monitoring for adverse reactions such as hives or gastrointestinal symptoms.

Kidney Disease — Strawberries contain oxalic acid and moderate potassium; individuals with calcium oxalate kidney stones or significantly impaired kidney function may need to moderate consumption under medical guidance.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1PubMed. Strawberry (Fragaria x Ananassa) intake on human health and disease outcomes: a comprehensive literature review. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2FDA. Food Additive Status List – U.S. FDA (21 CFR). fda.gov
3other. Trends and current food safety regulations and policies for functional foods and beverages containing botanicals. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4PubMed. Strawberry as a health promoter: an evidence-based review. Where are we 10 years later?, 2025. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 – Chapter 2.3: Fruit & Vegetable Products, 2011. fssai.gov.in

Independently researched5 citations