Comments:

YPsidixit (cont'd): - 2007-08-14 08:37:02
From here: Conventionally grown produce stickers are four digits long and begin with the numbers 3 or 4, according to "The Ethical Gourmet: How to Enjoy Great Food That Is Humanely Raised, Sustainable, Nonendangered and That Replenishes the Earth" (Broadway Books, $18.95) by Jay Weinstein.

PLU stickers on organically grown produce are five digits long and begin with the number 9. And PLU codes for genetically modified produce are also five digits but begin with 8.

For example, conventional bananas would be code 4011, organic bananas, 94011 and genetically modified bananas, 84011. (Thanks to Mt. Prospect's Wanda Leopold, President of Organic Networking, Ltd., for sending me the info.) To sum up:

3xxx/4xxx = conventionally grown
9xxxx = organic
8xxxx = genetically modified
-------------------------------
Ypsidixit - 2007-08-14 08:40:05
More PLU info: Ooh, lookee: here is a GIANT TABLE with *all* the PLU codes, plus photos, for a big range of fruits and vegetables.

Note that all the numbers are 3xxx/4xxx. I now know that this means these were all conventionally grown. Amazing. Hmm, there are also some 4xxxx and 3xxxx examples. Wonder what that means...
-------------------------------
One more time - 2007-08-14 08:41:24
I note that the bottom of the PLU page says,

This page is meant for entertainment purposes only.

I guess it's a pretty select group that can extract entertainment from a PLU chart, yes sir. :)
-------------------------------

add your comment:

your name:

back to the entry - Diaryland