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Houston, Texas, United States

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Getting to know that little label on your apple

Is it me, or do those annoying little fruit labels send you over the edge? I know, it's not about organizing, but it cuts into my organizing time.....
What exactly does PLU mean? It is fairly simple...Price Look Up
I can hear it now..."Hey Al, can you get me a PLU on this eggplant?"

So what good are they, anyway?
They help the cashier charge the right price for the item, perhaps speed the checkout process, help supermarkets track sales of certain items and control inventory. So they next time we pop in for a 4135 apple, it's on hand.

What good are they to us?
They are difficult to remove.
They sometimes tear the skin of the fruit when we attempt to remove them.
They add to the ever-growing landfill problem.
The International Federation for Produce Standards controls the labels which can assist us in knowing what we are buying. There is also a Produce Marketing Association, and a Produce Electronic Identification Board.
It is said that the adhesive used is food-grade, but the label itself is not edible, although it would not harm you if you ingested it, after all it is reportedly lead-free. I never ate glue in Kindergarten either, although some of my peers did.

Fact is, even though they aren't necessarily designed to assist us. If you crack the code, there is a bounty of information to be had! And I finally discovered the best way to remove them, as they ARE here to stay, or are they?

My research found:
1.  A four digit code means the produce was conventionally grown.
     These items have pesticides used on them, they
2.  A five digit code preceded by a 9 means the item was Organically grown.
3.  A five digit code means your food has been genetically modified.
4.  The numbers also indicate, country of origin, brand names, etc,.

That number three on the list. If you want to understand more about this code you can find some pretty interesting FACTS at
Basically, the GM title means scientists have altered the genetic make up of what you are about to eat. Supporters profess that we might enjoy enhanced taste and quality, they can reach maturity quicker, we might enjoy more dense nutrients, they enjoy more yield since the insects are staying away. hmmm?
There is a lot of controversy surrounding GM. Some fear the human health impact, that include possible allergens, and other unknown effects. It could even affect how our current antibiotic stream works.

In the grand scheme of things, I'm sure there is an artist somewhere producing grand amazing works from the lovely little labels. In 2007 there were discussions about laser etching our produce instead. Whether etched or labeled, the authorities like being able to track produce items in case of salmonella outbreaks for instance.
I'm done.Oh, I almost forgot. The best way to remove this pesky little sticker is to take a sharp knife and scrape it along the skin slightly lifting the label. It can then be grasped for removal. If you are knife-less and forgot to remove the label before you were on the run....a dig of a fingernail works nicely, but only after gently trying to pry it loose.
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