ORGANIC VS CONVENTIONAL--BREAKING THE CODE

Cracking the produce codes
By Jay Weinstein, Forecast Earth Food Correspondent
Posted Fri Apr 11, 2008 9:44am PDT

Have you ever looked at two bins of apples, one
labeled "organic," and the other "conventional," and
wondered if the apples might not be the same? I have.
And since discovering a little secret of the produce
industry, I've found that you really have to be a
detective in the aisles these days.

The secret is the price look-up (PLU) codes.

They're an international numbering standard that
identifies each type of produce, so that computerized
cash registers can ring up the cost of fruits and
vegetables automatically. They're also a powerhouse
of information for savvy shoppers. The code indicates
whether the item is a conventional, organic or
genetically modified (GM) crop.

The codes are based on four-digit numbers for
conventional produce, to which an extra digit is
added to indicate organic or GM status. If the number
is five digits beginning with a 9, then the item is
organic. If the item is five digits beginning in 8,
then it is a genetically modified crop.

For example, the PLU code for bananas is 4011. If
the PLU sticker on the banana bunch reads 94011,
then they are organic bananas. If the PLU sticker
reads 84011, then the bananas are a genetically
modified variety.

There are PLU code stickers on virtually every piece
of fruit, banded around every head of lettuce or bunch
of spinach, and stamped onto the bag of every bag of
organic salad greens. But that doesn't prevent certain
confused grocers from mislabeling them.

I've discovered conventional Fuji apples (4129) in the
"organic Fuji apples" (94129) bin many times. It's
strange that I've never found organic apples in the
conventional bin.

In any case, knowing the codes will ensure that you
get what you intended to get every time you shop.

Jay Weinstein's blog posts are provided by LifeWire, a
part of The New York Times Company.