What Do The Stickers on fruit mean ?

Most fruit and vegetable have stickers on them, and many of these stickers don't just feature the brand name, but also a cryptic numbers.  These numbers are codes, and they divulge information like whether something was grown organically or not, whether it was genetically modified, etc. The stickers you see on this produce aren’t just for scanning when you checkout. Each sticker contains the PLU (price look-up) number but that is not all. The produce stickers are full of information about the fruit and vegitabe you purchase at the supermarket.

In your perception, your visit to the fruit mart may be very fruitful. You got your hands on that ripest, juiciest fruits and bought handfuls of all varieties to relish on as a quick breakfast or a healthy snack. Including fresh fruits in one's diet, as well all known, can work a great deal to boost one's health. However, how many of us make the effort to find out how fresh the fruits really are and where did those come from? Have you ever made the effort to read those little stickers that are stuck on store bought fruits? Many a times, you pick out an apple from the refrigerator and notice a sticker on the peal. You simply remove it, throw it in the dustbin and dive straight into eating it. This is more common to find stickers on fruits that are bought from the grocery marts than the ones purchased from the local vegetable and fruit vendors. The sticker has a PLU(price look-up) code printed on it. This code does not only consist of a bar code for the easy of billing but also contains important information regarding how the fruit or vegetable was grown. It is known as price lookup number. By carefully analyzing this sticker, you enable yourself to make judgments regarding the origin of the fruit. Was it genetically modified? Was it grown organically and in the traditional manner? Was it injected and grown with fungicides and pesticides that pose risk upon consumption?

In the next time you’re at the grocery store, take a look at the labels on your produce! Here’s what those stickers really mean.

There are a lot of things that we interact with on daily basis, but we don't truly understand. 

The stickers we see on fruits and vegetables are one of those things. Do you know, there's an entire world of information located on that sticker, thanks to the short number on each.

Those codes share information on how the item was grown organically or with pesticides, and whether or not it is genetically modified. If you are looking for a quick answer, here is a quick rundown of the different codes.

1)Five numbers, beginning with a 9 :

A five-digit code beginning with nine means you're about to purchase organic produce.

If a fruit or veggie was grown organically, the sticker will have five digits, starting with “9.” An organically grown banana’s PLU(price look-up) would be 94011, for example. Should you eat organic produce? It’s a highly personal decision, but these guidelines can help you choose the organic or conventionally grown produce? If you want to avoid pesticides but can’t afford all organic all the time, go organic when buying thin-skinned fruit like apples, strawberries, and pears. Opt for conventionally grown when it comes to produce with thicker skin, like bananas and avocadoes.

2)Five numbers, beginning with an 8 :

A five-digit code starting with an eight means that the item is genetically modified. You are unlikely to see this at your grocery store, according to Consumer Reports, because widely sold genetically modified foods are versions of corn, soybeans, canola, cotton, papaya, and squash. So not that orange or bunch of broccoli you're eyeing. Also, labeling food as genetically modified is not mandatory. It has been grown with pesticides already built in and has been modified.  The most common types of genetically modified produce you’ll find in U.S. grocery stores include:

1)Corn

2)Soybeans (primarily used in animal feed and vegetable oil, so it’s unlikely that you’ll be buying genetically modified soybeans directly)

3)Potatoes

4)Papaya (Hawaiian-grown papayas are more likely to be genetically modified)

5)Squash

3)Four numbers, beginning with a 3 or a 4:

If your fruit or vegetable was made with conventional farming techniques, then you'll find a four-digit code that starts with a three or a four. If you don’t see a label with 5 digits it is safe to assume your fruit has been grown with pesticides and chemicals in nutrient depleted soil.