This PLU number indicates that this is an organic apple. (Bludgeoner86/Creative Commons)
Did you know that you could learn a lot about your produce from that tiny little PLU sticker? It's not just there to annoy you when you discover you forgot to peel it off, just as you crunch into a fresh apple. Produce PLUs aren't just a code for the cashier to use to price your groceries, either --that's what the barcode is for.
That string of PLU numbers on your pears or potatoes can help you determine if the fruits and vegetables you're about to buy have been sprayed with pesticides, are conventionally grown, or are genetically modified Frankenfood.
With so much controversy over which types of produce you should buy, it pays to know exactly what you're getting.PLU numbers appear on unpackaged fruits and vegetables that are sold individually or by weight, such as single apples or loose grapes, and also on nuts and herbs.
On your next trip shopping for produce, look carefully at that sticker. The number of digits in the code and the first number of that digit are the key to the type of produce for sale. Here's what to look for:
- A four-digit PLU number on your produce means it is conventionally grown. It is neither organic, nor is it genetically modified.
- A five-digit PLU number on your produce that starts with a 9 means your produce is organically grown.
- A five-digit PLU number on your produce that starts with an 8 means that your produce is genetically modified.
If that seems too hard to remember, just memorize the data that is important to you personally. For example, if your goal is to avoid genetically modified food, and you don't care about organic vs, conventional, all you need to remember is to avoid the 8. If you only buy organic produce, keep the number 9 in your mind.
The system for identifying produce by number was developed by the Produce Electronic Identification Board, and the numbers are consistent store to store across the globe, although individual retailers can choose to ignore them. The board has assigned more than 1,300 different PLU numbers for types of produce items.
The next time you shop for produce, you can feel like a codebreaker when you pick up those grapes. Better wear a trench coat and a pair of shades.
FYI: PLU stands for price look-up code.
Farm Fresh Produce (Sutherland Ave.)
Garden Fresh Market (Chapman Hwy)
Earth Fare (Bearden and Turkey Creek)
Fresh Market (Bearden and Farragut)
Three Rivers Market (North Knoxville)
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Comments
Great! Thanks for the information!
This is amazing information. Thank you! I've always wondered about those codes. I have large Granny Smith codes memorized.
Interesting.
Great to know these things. I just thought they were to keep the prices straight at the register!
Wow! This is COOL Elizabeth!
Thanks for the explanation. I've noticed the PLU's for items are the same at each store but I didn't know what the individual codes meant.
A lot of fruits don't have barcodes (at least they didn't when I worked the register back in high school), they were priced by weight so we had to use the PLU numbers to ring them in. It's good to know that they serve another purpose.
Yes thank you for the information. I didn't know about this.
Great article! Thanks for the information!
I love learning new things and I did not know this-- Thanks! Although if I ever get my hands on the genius who thought it would be a good idea to put stickers on tomatoes....
I was wondering about this. Thanks, Liz.
This is awesome info to know! I used to cashier in a grocery store, so I knew about the "9", but didn't know about the "8", because GM foods weren't around then.
I'm so glad you informed us about these codes. I do want to avoid the "8's". I also want to avoid produce from outside of the US because of poor pesticide control and the environmental waste of long distance shipping, but the country of origin words are sooooo small, I can't always read them.
Produce codes have come a long way since I worked at Wegmans - all we had back then was four-digit codes.
I have always wanted to know about these thanks so much for the information now when I go to the store I will have knowledge of what I am reading and looking at.
Thanks for this important material, Elizabeth. I HATE that we can have genetically-altered stuff palmed off on us. Who says the Government is there to protect people?
Actually, a four digit PLU number does not mean that it is not Organic and not GM! The use of the extra 5th number is optional to the store [chain]. The four digit PLU number is a general catch-all for the type of produce that is not categorized. Let me explain.
If you have a supermarket chain that prefixes their organic produce with the number 9, but don't have any that are prefixed with an 8, then that means the "conventional" produce *could* include the GM food. However, only truly organic food will be labeled with a prefixed 9 (in this example only).
If there is a store with just four digit PLU codes, then they *could* include organic and GM, along with conventional. Most stores are taking in on the labeling organic produce though.
Only when a store has all three types of labeling schemes available can you be 100% sure what you are buying.
fyi, I work at a large supermarket chain in the produce section and have been doing some research on this for a project that I am trying to implement.
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