Produce PLU stickers

Do you ever get tired of peeling off those pesky stickers on produce while you wash it? Paying attention to the code can actually benefit your health.


Conventional produce: 4-digit number

Organic produce: 5-digit number starting with 9
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Genetically modified: 5-digit number starting with 8

Examples:

4139: Conventional Granny Smith apple

94139: Organic Granny Smith apple

84139: GMO Granny Smith apple


You probably won’t ever see anything labeled as GMO because it’s optional. However, corn, soybeans, papaya, and squash are more likely to be GMO. It’s estimated that 60-70% of food items sold contain GMO ingredients. Don’t you find it interesting that the companies producing GMO foods do not have labeling restrictions but organic producers must follow strict rules to be able to label their produce as organic.