Rae and I were cutting up some fruit this afternoon when the topic of genetically-modified organisms came up. How do we know if the fruit we’re eating has been genetically modified, conventionally grown, or organic?

Turns out, many fruits have this information right on the sticker that comes on many fruits you buy from the store today.

For conventionally grown fruit, (grown with chemicals inputs), the PLU code on the sticker consists of four numbers. Organically grown fruit has a five-numeral PLU prefaced by the number 9. Genetically engineered (GM) fruit has a five-numeral PLU prefaced by the number 8. For example,

A conventionally grown banana would be:

4011

An organic banana would be:

94011

A genetically engineered (GE or GMO) banana would be:

84011

The huge Asian apple pear that we’re eating right now didn’t have a sticker on it, but the bosc pear I have in my hand right now says 4413. Not a GM’ed pear, but not an organic one either.

Food for thought!