As a follow up to my article from yesterday (Why Should You Be Concerned About GMO Produced Crops ), I wanted to add a handy guide for identifying GMO, conventionally grown and organically grown fruits and vegetables.
You have probably noticed the little sticker or stamp on the produce in the grocery store. Those are called PLU codes (Price Look Up codes). The codes are used for input into electronic cash registers to determine prices for bulk items, such as apples and cabbage. The codes identify exactly what the item is with its current pricing, while giving the consumer a handy tag for identifying GMO produce.
Each PLU code has five digits. If the first digit is a 9, the item is organic. If it is an 8, it is GMO! Conventionally grown produce has a 0 for the first digit, but usually the 0 is dropped. So most conventionally grown produce will actually have only 4 digits on the PLU tag if you don't see a 0 at the beginning. The 8 gives you the worst of two worlds, GMO and heavy chemical spraying!
I have also noticed that if the produce doesn’t have the sticker attached, the code can be found on the signage above the produce identifying the product and the price.
Obviously, buying organic from local farmers is ideal. Buy bulk and pass up packaged foods. If you buy locally, through a local health food store or at a farmers' market, you can determine by direct communication how the crops were raised. In our town, Market of Choice actually identifies the local farm that grows the produce they are selling in their store.
I love to grow my own greens and tomatoes. They are simple to grow both inside and out. You can have a fresh, “clean” salad in minutes. Plus, in my opinion, nothing tastes better than home grown food!!
