PLU Codes
Crack the code! Scan the stickers on supermarket produce for PLU (price look-up) codes, and you’ll learn a lot about your fruits and veggies. A four-digit number means the produce has been conventionally grown using synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. A five-digit number beginning with 8 means the produce is genetically modified. And a five-digit number beginning with 9 means you’re getting organically grown goodies. (Note: This number isn’t found in barcodes. It will typically be printed on a sticker affixed to an item).
Keep in mind that these codes are only a system designed to make inventory and check-out easier in grocery stores, and their use by producers or suppliers is optional. For example, surveys say a majority of consumers will reject genetically-modified foods if they are labeled, and so the five-digit code beginning with 8 is never to be seen in actual practice. After all, why would a producer willingly mark their products as genetically modified when it engenders that kind of consumer confidence? Much better is to simply look for the word "organic" on your favorite fruits and veggies.
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