![\"14961829054_25677820ef_z\"](\"http:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/14961829054_25677820ef_z.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nUnfortunately, depending on the time of year and where you live, the selection of organic fruits and vegetables can sometimes be downright pitiful or prohibitively expensive. What do you do when you can\u2019t find what you\u2019re looking for, or when the item you want costs more than you can afford to pay?<\/p>\n
Do you know how to choose the highest quality foods from the available selection? Or do you get frustrated, grab just \u201cwhatever,\u201d and then pray it doesn\u2019t harm your health?<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re discerning about the quality of the fruits and vegetables your family eats, you need to become a savvy produce shopper.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h3>\nNavigating Supermarket Produce Aisles<\/span><\/h1>\n![\"organic_apple_label\"](\"http:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/organic_apple_label-e1442228553101-488x650.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nYou\u2019ve undoubtedly noticed the little stickers with four- or five-digit numbers on them that supermarkets put on individual pieces of produce. These stickers sometimes\u00a0also identify the variety; for example, an apple might be marked \u201cGala\u201d or \u201cFuji.\u201d (Bins containing bulk items, such as granola and nuts, are often similarly labeled.)<\/p>\n
The numbers on those stickers are PLU (Price Look Up) codes randomly assigned by the International Federation for Produce Standards<\/a> (IFPS). When cashiers ring up your order, they key in these codes to identify the item being weighed or measured.<\/p>\nIf you know what these codes mean, you can tell how (and sometimes even where) the food was raised<\/strong>. For instance, a PLU\u00a0code can tell you if that head of lettuce you\u2019re holding is organic or conventionally grown.<\/p>\nDeciphering the PLU Codes on Produce Stickers
\n<\/span><\/h1>\nPLU codes can have four or five digits and start with the numeral 3, 4, 5, 8, or 9<\/strong>.<\/p>\n![\"8425394118_1b757e0504_o\"](\"http:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/8425394118_1b757e0504_o.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nFour-digit PLU codes beginning with 3 or 4\u00a0denote\u00a0conventionally grown produce<\/strong>. For\u00a0instance, conventionally grown Fuji apples like the one in the photo above are\u00a0assigned the PLU code\u00a04131.<\/p>\nPLU codes\u00a0beginning with 5\u00a0identify transitionally grown produce<\/strong>. This means the food was grown under conditions that meet organic standards, but for which the certification process has not yet been completed. A 5000 series PLU code can also mean\u00a0the produce was grown on land that has not been free of chemical usage for the required length of time (36 months) before it can be classified as organic.<\/p>\nBoth 8 and 9 are used as leading digits in five-digit PLU codes. In other words, 8 and 9 are prefixes to standard four-digit PLU codes and have special meanings that provide additional information about the item<\/strong>.<\/p>\n![\"5189399089_c6ee3e62ec_o\"](\"http:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/5189399089_c6ee3e62ec_o.png\")
<\/a>A standard four-digit PLU code prefixed by an 8 indicates the item is a Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) <\/strong>containing genetic information from an entirely different species. Very little is known about the possible long-term effects of eating GMO foods. For this and other reasons<\/a>,\u00a0many people choose to avoid GMO foods altogether.
\n![\"3759753230_1e8f9174d9_o\"](\"http:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/3759753230_1e8f9174d9_o.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nA five-digit PLU code that begins with a 9 indicates the item is organic<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThey Don’t Want Us to Know It’s GMO<\/span><\/h1>\nOkay, let’s assume\u00a0you know how read PLU codes. Can you now feel confident you\u2019re making the safest choices for your family and not drive yourself crazy worrying if the product you\u2019re buying might be loaded with pesticides or if it\u2019s a Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) food engineered in a laboratory? Well, maybe. Read on!<\/p>\n
Although this labeling system seems straightforward on the surface, herein lies the rub:<\/p>\n
Because PLU codes aren\u2019t mandatory, companies can label GMO foods as conventional.<\/strong> <\/em><\/span><\/h3>\nThe truth is, unless it\u2019s labeled as certified organic, most of the corn, soybeans, canola, cotton, papaya, and squash being sold today is genetically modified.<\/strong><\/p>\nAccording to Consumer Reports, an estimated 60 to 70 percent of foods, including packaged goods, contain genetically modified ingredients. Dreadful, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n
![\"412798106_f6f4497749_z\"](\"http:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/412798106_f6f4497749_z.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nEven worse,\u00a0you will rarely see a PLU code that begins with an 8 because GMO awareness is rapidly gaining traction and manufacturers are afraid that labeling GMO foods will impact their profits<\/strong>. And they can get away with it because the FDA has determined that GMO\u2019s are substantially equivalent to their conventional counterparts. According to our government, there\u2019s no difference between conventional and GMO foods, despite the fact that plenty of studies show otherwise.<\/p>\nHow to\u00a0Be Confident about What\u00a0You’re Buying<\/span><\/h2>\nEven though PLU codes can\u2019t be trusted entirely, there are a few ways to ensure the produce you\u2019re buying isn\u2019t genetically modified<\/strong>. You can choose<\/p>\n\n- Items labeled 100% organic or certified organic<\/li>\n
- Items labeled GMO-free<\/li>\n
- Items with PLU codes that begin with a 9<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
But what can\u00a0you do when the selection of organic produce\u00a0is slim to non-existent? <\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/h3>\nFortunately, the Environmental Working Group\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0(EWG)\u00a0\u201cShopper\u2019s Guide to Pesticides in Produce<\/a>\u201d is a terrific resource that can help simplify decisions at the grocery store.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"ewg\"](\"http:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/ewg.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nEWG singled out the produce with the highest pesticide loads for its Dirty Dozen\u2122<\/a> list. These are the foods you want to AVOID at all costs. <\/strong><\/p>\nSimilarly, EWG\u2019s Clean Fifteen\u2122<\/a> lists the produce that\u2019s least likely to hold pesticide residue<\/strong>. You\u2019ll notice a lot of these items have thick or layered skin, like onions, avocados, and pineapple. These are foods you can feel good about buying when their organic counterparts aren\u2019t available.<\/strong><\/p>\nClean Fifteen foods are also a safe bet when you want to shave some money off your grocery bill or need to stay within a tight budget.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nSo, as you can see, labeling laws are sneaky and interpreting the PLU codes on fruits and veggies is a bit trickier than reading the labels on canned and boxed products<\/strong> found on supermarket shelves. But, as a savvy shopper, you can feel confident you\u2019re buying the very best quality produce available without breaking the bank.<\/p>\nBy the way, if you\u00a0sign-up<\/a> on the EWG website, they\u2019ll send you a PDF version of their Guide for free.\u00a0If it’s more convenient, you can access the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen\u00a0using these resources too:<\/p>\n\n- Free app on iTunes<\/a><\/li>\n
- Free app on Google Play<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Authored by Anna Paige.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Unless you\u2019re a hard core proponent of the local food movement and never eat anything that was grown outside your immediate area, you\u2019ll find yourself cruising the produce aisle at the supermarket from time to time, especially now that gardening season is winding down. If you grow your own food, you will probably be looking […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,1],"tags":[58],"class_list":["post-1151","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-how-to","category-uncategorized","tag-food"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1151","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1151"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1151\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1151"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1151"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1151"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
You\u2019ve undoubtedly noticed the little stickers with four- or five-digit numbers on them that supermarkets put on individual pieces of produce. These stickers sometimes\u00a0also identify the variety; for example, an apple might be marked \u201cGala\u201d or \u201cFuji.\u201d (Bins containing bulk items, such as granola and nuts, are often similarly labeled.)<\/p>\n The numbers on those stickers are PLU (Price Look Up) codes randomly assigned by the International Federation for Produce Standards<\/a> (IFPS). When cashiers ring up your order, they key in these codes to identify the item being weighed or measured.<\/p>\n If you know what these codes mean, you can tell how (and sometimes even where) the food was raised<\/strong>. For instance, a PLU\u00a0code can tell you if that head of lettuce you\u2019re holding is organic or conventionally grown.<\/p>\n PLU codes can have four or five digits and start with the numeral 3, 4, 5, 8, or 9<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Four-digit PLU codes beginning with 3 or 4\u00a0denote\u00a0conventionally grown produce<\/strong>. For\u00a0instance, conventionally grown Fuji apples like the one in the photo above are\u00a0assigned the PLU code\u00a04131.<\/p>\n PLU codes\u00a0beginning with 5\u00a0identify transitionally grown produce<\/strong>. This means the food was grown under conditions that meet organic standards, but for which the certification process has not yet been completed. A 5000 series PLU code can also mean\u00a0the produce was grown on land that has not been free of chemical usage for the required length of time (36 months) before it can be classified as organic.<\/p>\n Both 8 and 9 are used as leading digits in five-digit PLU codes. In other words, 8 and 9 are prefixes to standard four-digit PLU codes and have special meanings that provide additional information about the item<\/strong>.<\/p>\n A five-digit PLU code that begins with a 9 indicates the item is organic<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Okay, let’s assume\u00a0you know how read PLU codes. Can you now feel confident you\u2019re making the safest choices for your family and not drive yourself crazy worrying if the product you\u2019re buying might be loaded with pesticides or if it\u2019s a Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) food engineered in a laboratory? Well, maybe. Read on!<\/p>\n Although this labeling system seems straightforward on the surface, herein lies the rub:<\/p>\n The truth is, unless it\u2019s labeled as certified organic, most of the corn, soybeans, canola, cotton, papaya, and squash being sold today is genetically modified.<\/strong><\/p>\n According to Consumer Reports, an estimated 60 to 70 percent of foods, including packaged goods, contain genetically modified ingredients. Dreadful, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n Even worse,\u00a0you will rarely see a PLU code that begins with an 8 because GMO awareness is rapidly gaining traction and manufacturers are afraid that labeling GMO foods will impact their profits<\/strong>. And they can get away with it because the FDA has determined that GMO\u2019s are substantially equivalent to their conventional counterparts. According to our government, there\u2019s no difference between conventional and GMO foods, despite the fact that plenty of studies show otherwise.<\/p>\n Even though PLU codes can\u2019t be trusted entirely, there are a few ways to ensure the produce you\u2019re buying isn\u2019t genetically modified<\/strong>. You can choose<\/p>\n Fortunately, the Environmental Working Group\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0(EWG)\u00a0\u201cShopper\u2019s Guide to Pesticides in Produce<\/a>\u201d is a terrific resource that can help simplify decisions at the grocery store.<\/span><\/p>\n EWG singled out the produce with the highest pesticide loads for its Dirty Dozen\u2122<\/a> list. These are the foods you want to AVOID at all costs. <\/strong><\/p>\n Similarly, EWG\u2019s Clean Fifteen\u2122<\/a> lists the produce that\u2019s least likely to hold pesticide residue<\/strong>. You\u2019ll notice a lot of these items have thick or layered skin, like onions, avocados, and pineapple. These are foods you can feel good about buying when their organic counterparts aren\u2019t available.<\/strong><\/p>\n So, as you can see, labeling laws are sneaky and interpreting the PLU codes on fruits and veggies is a bit trickier than reading the labels on canned and boxed products<\/strong> found on supermarket shelves. But, as a savvy shopper, you can feel confident you\u2019re buying the very best quality produce available without breaking the bank.<\/p>\n By the way, if you\u00a0sign-up<\/a> on the EWG website, they\u2019ll send you a PDF version of their Guide for free.\u00a0If it’s more convenient, you can access the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen\u00a0using these resources too:<\/p>\n Authored by Anna Paige.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Unless you\u2019re a hard core proponent of the local food movement and never eat anything that was grown outside your immediate area, you\u2019ll find yourself cruising the produce aisle at the supermarket from time to time, especially now that gardening season is winding down. If you grow your own food, you will probably be looking […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,1],"tags":[58],"class_list":["post-1151","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-how-to","category-uncategorized","tag-food"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1151","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1151"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1151\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1151"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1151"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homesteadersupply.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1151"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/a><\/p>\nDeciphering the PLU Codes on Produce Stickers
\n<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>A standard four-digit PLU code prefixed by an 8 indicates the item is a Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) <\/strong>containing genetic information from an entirely different species. Very little is known about the possible long-term effects of eating GMO foods. For this and other reasons<\/a>,\u00a0many people choose to avoid GMO foods altogether.
\n<\/a><\/p>\nThey Don’t Want Us to Know It’s GMO<\/span><\/h1>\n
Because PLU codes aren\u2019t mandatory, companies can label GMO foods as conventional.<\/strong> <\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nHow to\u00a0Be Confident about What\u00a0You’re Buying<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
But what can\u00a0you do when the selection of organic produce\u00a0is slim to non-existent? <\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nClean Fifteen foods are also a safe bet when you want to shave some money off your grocery bill or need to stay within a tight budget.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
\n