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Noticed the stickers or code labels which are stuck on fruits and even some vegetables? They aren’t there just to help the store manager figure out the price at the checkout counter. The PLU code or Price Lockup Code has a world of information, such as whether your fruit was grown organically or produced with genetically modified seeds or with the help of conventional farming methods.
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The International Federation for Produce Standards (IFPS)= is the regulatory body which assigns codes to fruit sold all over the world. IFPS is a coalition of fruit and vegetable associations from the around the globe which was formed in 2001 with the aim of introducing a global standard for the use of international Price Look-Up (PLU) numbers.
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If the code on your fruit starts with the digit 9, it means it is grown organically.
If there are only four digits in the PLU, this means that the produce was grown using traditional farming methods with the use of pesticides.
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If your fruit has a sticker with a five-digit number starting with 8, it is a genetically modified fruit or vegetable.
So next time you go grocery shopping, pay closer attention to the numbers and choose wisely.
