Don’t Buy Another Piece of Fruit Until You Know What These Sticker Numbers Mean!

Labels provide important information, from safety warnings on cleaning products to nutrition facts on food. One type of label that many people see in grocery stores is the number on fruit stickers. These numbers may seem unimportant, but they actually give useful details. Here’s what they mean.

Most people know that barcodes on grocery products help the register scan prices. But the numbers on fruit stickers do more than just tell the computer what to charge. For example, if the number on a fruit sticker starts with 9 and has five digits, it means the fruit was grown organically.

Another example is the number 8. If a fruit sticker has a five-digit number starting with 8, it means the product has been genetically modified. GMO foods are a debated topic because some people worry they might cause allergies or health issues. Scientists are still studying their long-term effects, and because of this, only a few GMO foods are sold in stores.

If the sticker has a four-digit code that starts with 3 or 4, the food is not organic. This means it was grown using traditional farming methods, also known as “conventional growth.”

Many people believe organic food is healthier and has more nutrients, but studies show there is no difference in nutrition between organic and conventional food. The biggest difference is how the food is grown. Organic farming uses natural fertilizers like compost and removes weeds by hand or with machines. Conventional farming, on the other hand, uses chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Some experts worry about the environmental effects of conventional farming and possible long-term health risks. However, Dr. Tamika D. Sims, a food technology expert in Atlanta, Georgia, says that both organic and conventional fertilizers are “federally regulated.”

Dr. Sims believes people should focus on eating a balanced diet with a variety of foods rather than worrying about whether a fruit is organic based on the numbers on fruit stickers.

These numbers not only help cash registers charge the correct price but also tell shoppers how the food was grown. The number of digits is important too. A four- or five-digit code provides information about how the food was grown and its type and size. If the number has more than five digits, it is not part of the “internationally standardized system.”

Many people try to finish grocery shopping quickly, but knowing what we eat is important for staying healthy. The International Federation for Produce Standards (IFPS) works to improve the way food is labeled and tracked. Their goal is to make sure food meets high-quality standards.

The system was introduced in the 1990s, adding stickers with numerical codes to fruits and vegetables. These codes help ensure quality control. The IFPS has created over 1,400 different codes, but using them is optional. This means not all fruits and vegetables in stores have been checked or approved by the IFPS.

People who care about their food choices may find it useful to understand the meaning of fruit sticker numbers. This information can also make checkout faster—customers can simply enter the PLU code instead of searching for the item name. In the end, feeding people worldwide takes a lot of organization, and PLU codes help track the delicious and nutritious foods that travel across the globe.