PLU codes on produce
i feel silly for just now realizing this.
i had always thought those crazy stickers all over our produce just made the lives of checkout clerks easier. not so. actually, they make life easier for everyone. they’re a super handy code every consumer should know, lest you end up with nasty genetically-modified foods in your shopping cart & ultimately, your belly.
commit this easy coding system to memory. your DNA will thank you.
each type of fruit or veggie carries a PLU:
- the stickers on individual fruits & vegetables, like apples & winter squash,
- on tags used to hold together bunches of lettuce, broccoli, & other loose vegetables,
- or on bags of produce–such as potatoes or onions.
PLUs consist of 4 to 5 numbers.
- 4 numbers = conventional produce,
- 5 numbers = starting with 9, organic produce,
- 5 numbers = starting with 8, genetically-modified produce.
