What does the barcode on fruit mean?

Placed on fruits, stickers contain a four-to-five digit code that indicates the Price Look-up (PLU) code. Nadine Aoun, nutritionist and dietician at Medcare Hospital, said that four-digit codes starting with the numbers 3 or 4 indicate that the fruit has been conventionally grown.

Likewise, people ask, what does the sticker on the fruit mean?

They're called price look-up (PLU) codes and they contain numbers that cashiers use to ring you up. But you can also use them to make sure you're getting what you paid for.

Also, what do produce codes mean? Price look-up codes, commonly called PLU codes, PLU numbers, PLUs, produce codes, or produce labels, are a system of numbers that uniquely identify bulk produce sold in grocery stores and supermarkets. The codes have been in use since 1990, and over 1400 have been assigned.

Also, what does 4011 mean on fruit?

An example is that all bananas are labeled with the code of 4011. If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with “8”, this tells you that the item is a genetically modified fruit or vegetable. Genetically modified fruits and vegetables trump being organic.

What do the numbers on fruit and vegetable stickers mean?

Every fruit sticker has what is called a PLU code, otherwise known as a price look-up number. If your fruit has a four digit number on it, such as 4020, then that means it has been grown using conventional methods.

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How can you tell if a fruit sticker is organic?

On loose fruits and vegetables, look at the Price Look Up (PLU) sticker. If the produce is organic, the code will contain five-digits beginning with 9. Non-organic counterparts will have four digits. (Example: Organically grown bananas will be 94011, compared to 4011 for those treated with chemicals and pesticides.)

What does 3 mean on fruit label?

Placed on fruits, stickers contain a four-to-five digit code that indicates the Price Look-up (PLU) code. Nadine Aoun, nutritionist and dietician at Medcare Hospital, said that four-digit codes starting with the numbers 3 or 4 indicate that the fruit has been conventionally grown.

What fruit is 4042?

PLU Codes

PLU Code	Size	Commodity
4042	Large	CA Red Plum
4044	Large	Tree Ripe Yellow Peach
4046	Small	CA Avocado
4133	Small	Gala Apple

What's conventionally grown mean?

Conventionally grown is an agriculture term referring to a method of growing edible plants (such as fruit and vegetables) and other products. It is opposite to organic growing methods which attempt to produce without synthetic chemicals (fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones) or genetically modified organisms.

Can you eat the fruit sticker?

Yes, unless you like eating stickers. Sometimes you may forget, but that's ok. They're made out of “edible paper”. Even the glue holding the stickers to the fruit is food grade.

What happens if you eat a fruit sticker?

Fruit stickers are one of those things. They can be eaten, but they aren't exactly edible and neither is the adhesive used to stick them on. Fruit stickers and the adhesive only has to be proven as not deadly or extremely harmful to be put on an edible item.

What does 4011 mean on a banana?

For example, #4011 is the code for a standard yellow banana. The number 9 prefix added to a PLU signifies that an item is organic. For example, #94011 is the code for an organic yellow banana.

What does the sticker on apples mean?

There are plenty of numbers listed on stickers located on apples. They actually have a real meaning too, here's the meaning: 4 numbers= conventionally grown. 5 numbers starting with 8= genetically grown. 5 numbers starting with 9= organically grown."

How do you know if fruit is GMO?

Identify how produce is grown by reading its label or sticker number.

4-digit number means food was conventionally grown.
5-digit number that begins with a 9 means produce is organic.
5-digit number that begins with an 8 means it is genetically modified. (

What does the 4 numbers on fruit mean?

A 4 digit code – means your fruit was conventionally raised. A 5 digit code (starting with the number 8) – means your fruit has been genetically modified. It has been grown with pesticides already built in and has been modified.

Are Bananas high in pesticides?

Peeled bananas are generally tainted with very few pesticide residues, according to USDA analyses, probably because those tested are peeled first. One toxic insecticide widely used in banana production is chlorpyrifos, a potent neurotoxicant member of the organophosphate insecticide family.

How can you tell if food is organic?

Look for the word "organic" on vegetables or pieces of fruit, or on the sign above the organic produce display. The word "organic" may also appear on packages of meat, cartons of milk or eggs, cheese and other single-ingredient foods. Foods labeled "100 percent organic" must contain only organic ingredients.

What number is GMO?

GMO produce has five numbers in the PLU code, and it begins with 8.

What is the code for GMO produce?

The secret

Organic produce has a five-digit code beginning with “9.” Conventionally grown produce has a four-digit code. GMO produce begins with “8.”

Why do bananas have stickers?

The produce was grown traditionally with the use of pesticides. All bananas have 4011 as the code on the sticker. If the sticker has a five-digit number beginning with 9, it means that your fruit was grown organically and is best for consumption.

How can you tell if a banana is GMO?

Organically grown fruit has a five-numeral PLU prefaced by the number 9. Genetically engineered (GM) fruit has a five-numeral PLU prefaced by the number 8. Example: A conventionally grown banana would be 4011. An organically grown banana would be 94011.

How do you read produce labels?

How to read produce labels

FOUR DIGIT NUMBERS (they all begin with 3 or 4) denote conventionally grown, non-GMO produce (that is, grown with chemical pesticides and fertilizers and not genetically modified)
FIVE DIGITS BEGINNING WITH AN 8 means the produce is GMO, genetically modified.