DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE STICKER ON YOUR PRODUCE TELLS YOU ?
Have you ever thought about the sticker that is on the fresh produce you buy?
What does the number on it mean?
Is it just a way for the clerk to ring up the price?
The answer is ...it tells you a lot about the fresh produce you are buying
A 4 digit code means the fresh produce was grown conventionally. It is safe to assume that it is contaminated with pesticides and petroleum-based fertilizers, grown in soils depleted of many nutrients
A 5 digit code starting with a 9 means the fresh produce was grown organically and that it has been grown to organic standards, which is considered superior to conventionally grown produce
A 5 digit code starting with an 8 means that the fresh produce is genetically modified or "GMO". It contains genes that are not there by nature. The only "fresh" GMO produce items available on the market at present are Papaya and corn.
Labeling of "GMO" produce is not required.
As a consumer, it should be important to you and your family what's on a fresh fruit and produce label and how to read it. The label may tell you something as simple as what kind of apple it is. It may tell you where it is grown. But more importantly...it tells you how it is grown. Reading the label can help you make a more informed decision on the food you eat or again, more importantly, the food you do not want to eat.
Comments(21)