Back in April, I wrote about reading labels and translating the difference between organic, natural, and healthy. One of the other, very common labels you’ll see in a grocery store are those stickers that come on your apples, grapefruit, or bell peppers. You’ve probably noticed that produce you buy at the grocery store has a sticker with a four-digit or five-digit code on it. Have you ever wondered what those mean? Or looked it up? Well, you’re in luck! I did…and I did. :) And even though I knew some of this already, I learned something else today!
(Wait a second…fruits and veggies come with stickers?! What about those veggies from the CSA? I KNOW the origin of those veggies. ;) We don’t need stickers for those!)
Prior to today, if you’d said to me, “Jolie, what do those stickers mean?” my answer would have been as follows: five-digit codes starting with a 9 are organic; codes starting with 8 are GMO (genetically-modified organisms), and codes starting with anything else (such as a 3 or a 4) are conventionally grown. The stickers also make it easier for the checkout clerk to identify and scan the produce, instead of trying to tell the difference between a kohlrabi and a cabbage.
What I didn’t know is that the codes are part of a system that’s been in place since the early 1990s, and are now monitored by an organization called the International Federation for Produce Standards (IFPS). (The codes are also optional and not everyone uses them.)
What I learned today is that the IFPS is changing the meaning of the codes and those starting with 8 will no longer specify GMO foods, as the 8s were not being used.
So now, it’s a little simpler. A code starting with 9 must be organic (although it’s still a good idea to look for the USDA certification if you want to be really certain); all other codes are conventionally grown. (What’s that mean? Growers may use pesticides/herbicides on their crops, and nothing will tell you if the produce includes GMOs.)
What are your options? Start at the farmers’ market! :) Know your grower if you possibly can; building a relationship with local farmers is extremely rewarding. If you can’t, and you want to know what’s up with the produce you buy at the store, check the sticker. If organic is important to you, look for the 9s.
Information! It’s good for your health. Cheers!