Berries should be bright, clean, fresh appearance, combined with a solid full color, and plumpness of the individual berries.  Berries should be free from dirt, moisture, and adhering caps.  Look for and discard berries that are dull in color, soft, and leaky as this ia a sign age and inferior quality. Decay can also be easily detected by the presence of mold on the surface of the berries.  Berries with the caps attached may indicate immature fruit.