Here’s what those produce barcodes on fresh fruits and vegetables mean.
PLU codes can help consumers like you make more informed decisions about the foods they consume.
Here are a few simple hacks for deciphering those produce codes.
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Read on for all the details.
What Are PLU Codes?
PLU codes are a series of numbers that identify produce sold in retail stores like supermarkets and grocery stores.
These codes were implemented in 1990 and are regulated by the International Federation of Produce Standards.
There are currently over 1,400 unique PLU codes assigned to various types of fruits and vegetables.
The PLU codes use ranges in the 3000, 4000, 83000 and 84000 series, according to IFPS.
These are the types of codes we’ll be breaking down for you in this article.
Four-Digit PLU Codes: Conventional Produce
Four-digit PLU codes are some of the most common.
On the sticker, you will see a 4-digit code in 3000 or 4000 series of numbers.
This throw in of PLU code signifies that a particular fruit or vegetable was grown conventionally rather than organically.
This means synthetic fertilizers and/or pesticides might have been used by the farmers growing the produce.
As well, little difference has been found between the nutritional value of organically versus conventionally grown produce.
This means that the 9 is added to the conventional PLU code.
A five-digit organic PLU code guarantees the consumer that nosyntheticmaterials were used in growing the fruit or vegetable.
(Read labeling from the USDA.)
Fortunately, you now know that any produce with a five-digit PLU code sticker on it is organic.
