What’s The Reason Behind Stickers On Fruits? What Do Those Codes Mean?

Generally, we find stickers on the fruits as nuisance. However, this is not the case. They serve more purpose than just indicating the price tag.

This is called PLU code or in other words, Price Lookup number. It also tells you how the fruit was grown. By reading the PLU code, you can tell if the fruit was genetically modified, organically grown or produced with chemical fertilizers, fungicides, or herbicides.

Conventionally (grown with chemicals and pesticides) grown fruits have four digit numbers on the stickers. All four letters of the PLU code are simply what kind of vegetable or fruit. There are different codes for different types of fruits and vegetables.

Non Organic fruits ( Genetically modified Food) have a five digit code beginning with the number “8”.Note that if you’re looking up information on the PLU code, do not include the first number of a 5-digit code—the first number is just an identifier for GMO products. For example, 4011 would be a standard

Organic fruits have a five digit code beginning with the number “9”. If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with “9”, this tells you that the produce was grown organically and is not genetically modified

Difference between Organic and Non Organic food:

Organic foods are defined as those foods that are grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, genetic engineering, pesticides, or drugs. Pesticides are chemical or control agents made to kill insects, weeds, and fungal pests that damage crops.”

Non-organic foods, therefore, are either directly manufactured with or are indirectly contaminated by synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, genetic engineering, pesticides or drugs.

So, next time when you choose the fruit from the market, Please make sure the types of fruits you want to buy. Also consider a word of caution that this PLU system is voluntary and it is not necessary that every manufacturer uses them.