We can all rest a bit easier and breathe a bit deeper because another urban legend has been laid to rest. According to Jeffrey Smith, author of Seeds of Deception, those numerical PLU code labels stuck on grocery store produce (which we have been taught to scrutinize) do NOT indicate whether the produce has been genetically modified or not.

According to Smith’s recent blog on The Huntington Post: The 4-digit PLU codes on the sometimes-pain-in-the-neck labels glued to apples, for example, tell the checkout lady which is a small Fuji (4129) and which is a Honeycrisp (3283). She’ll know what to charge you and the inventory elves will know what’s what. If there’s a 5-digit code starting with 9, then it’s organic. These numbers, organized by the Produce Marketing Association, have nothing to do with you. According to Kathy Means, Association Vice President of Public Relations and Government Affairs, this is an optional convention for retailers and their supplier and is not designed as a communication tool for customers. If you want to know which items are organic, look for the word Organic; and stop squinting at tiny codes. 

(more…)