Stickers on Fruit and Vegetables- What do they mean?

Ever wonder what the codes on the stickers that adorn your fruit really mean?
I went to snopes.com to find out.  Here is what I’ve learned.

PLU is the name of the code which means “Price Look Up”. The codes are meant for suppliers and grocers and not really for the public.

Codes that begin with 4 and have 4 numerals in the code means that they were conventionally grown. This means that pesticides and fertilizers were used to produce a higher yield and bigger fruit.

Codes that begin with 8 and have 5 numerals in the code means that they are a genetically modified organism (GMO).

Codes starting with number 9 and have 5 numerals means they were organically grown.

You can go to: http://plucodes.com/search_wizard.aspx?s=1

Once there you can enter the code on your fruit to have it identified. Not all produce is labeled - especially the GMO kind. These labels are not mandatory so this may not give you enough information or the information you are looking for.

So the best number to look for starts with a 9 and means it’s been organically grown.  The ones to stay away from start with an 8 because these are GMO products.

No one knows the long term effects of GMO products. It’s estimated that 40 to 70 percent of all food products (fresh and packaged) contain some GMO products.  

Here is a good website that will help you avoid GMOs.

http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com

You can get this as an iPhone app at ShopNoGMO and the price is free.
A great reason to give growing your own fruits and vegetables a try. Happy Eating-