Beautiful Spirit, Happy Tuesday!  Today is all about the numbers.   In the last post,  sugar was front and center. But this post is foundational as it covers the numbers you see on your produce.  Today, you will also get to add a few acronyms to your vocabulary.

Do you look at the numbers on your produce and wonder what they mean? If you don’t, after reading this post, you will.  If you do, it’s a refresher.

Let’s start with the three letters PLU and what they mean.  This three-letter acronym stands for Price Look Up.   It is useful in helping supermarkets identify vegetables and produce,  manage inventory, and ensure correct pricing. Following the three PLU letters are normally numerical digits.  The digits can start with either a 3, 4, 8, or 9, which coincides with how the produce is grown.

REMEMBER THIS

I love a visual aid!

The four and five-digit numbers generally indicate the types of produce variety and how it was grown.  They are assigned by the International Federation for Produce Standards (IFPS)

3 or 4 = conventionally grown produce, meaning it may have been grown with the use of pesticides, herbicides and synthetic fertilizers.

9 = Indicate organically grown produce, meaning it was grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers and without genetic modification, according to the Environmental Working Group. 

8 = It’s been genetically modified. (GMO)  You know I would never leave you hanging…… We’re all about information on this blog.

Here’s a Google note.   While the “8” prefix was initially considered for GMO identification, it was never widely adopted. Many retailers still choose to label GMO produce as conventional, meaning you may not see many “8” prefixed codes. 

YOU NEED TO KNOW

We have often heard the phrase, “Knowledge is power.”  However, I have adapted it to read, “Knowledge applied is power.” What good is knowing something if you don’t apply when needed?!

The quote for the day lays inside the above sentence.  Continue to shine!

XOXO,

GEM

P.S.  How many of you remember Pampered Chef?  If you’re looking for some, look no further.  My favorite pieces are seasoned well!