Everyday Surprises: You've Been Using These Products All Wrong

11. Fruit Stickers

Understanding Fruit Stickers
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Average Product Cost: Free when fruit is included

Many of us may have unknowingly consumed fruit stickers along with our produce. These stickers are provided for free with the fruit, but they contain important information that not everyone is aware of.

What Do the Numbers Mean?
If you take a piece of fruit out of your refrigerator, take a moment to examine the sticker. The numbers on the stickers can tell you several things:

PLU Codes: The Price Look-Up (PLU) codes typically consist of four or five digits.
Organic vs. Conventional: If the sticker has a five-digit code starting with "9," it indicates that the fruit is organic. If it starts with "4," it is conventionally grown.
Genetically Modified: A five-digit code starting with "8" signifies that the fruit is genetically modified.

Understanding Fruit Stickers and Their Codes

Fruit stickers contain important numerical codes that provide insight into how the fruit was grown. Here’s what the numbers mean:

Four-Digit Codes:

If the sticker has four numbers and the first digit is "4," it indicates that pesticides were used on the fruit.
Five-Digit Codes:

If the sticker has five digits and starts with "9," this means the fruit was cultivated organically.
If the sticker has five digits and starts with "8," it signifies that the fruit has been genetically altered during its development.

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