Nutrition fact

posted Sep 12, 2014, 6:19 AM by Linda Hopey
Did you know that the stickers on produce in the grocery store actually have a meaning? 
These codes are also known as a Price Look-Up code or PLU. Supermarkets have been 
using this coding system since 1990 to determine how to price bulk produce. The codes have designated numbers on them that identify the way the produce is grown. Understanding these stickers can be beneficial for consumers when shopping, because it helps them to know exactly what they are purchasing. The four- or five-digit numerical 
code identifies the product and also indicates whether the produce is grown conventionally 
or organically. If the code has four digits, then the produce is conventionally grown, but if it is a five-digit number, the produce has been grown organically or without pesticides and other harmful chemicals to help it grow. The first number of the code indicates if the genetic material of the produce has been altered to sustain growth and increase size. A four-digit code beginning with an eight means that the fruit or vegetable has been genetically modified, but if it begins with a nine, then the produce is grown organically 
and nothing has been added or changed. The PLU codes can help you determine exactly 
what type of produce you are purchasing. Check them out the next time you are at the grocery store.