Do Your Part, How to Be and Live Green in Charlotte, NC

What Those Produce Stickers Tell You

Knowing exactly what you’re buying is one way to do your part.  This is particularly true in the produce section of your grocery store.

When you buy fruits and vegetables there’s always a sticker on it.  The numbers tell the cashier the price, but they also tell you how the produce was grown.

There are three types of codes:

1. A four digit number means, the produce was conventionally grown, using insecticides to control pests and chemical herbicides to control weeds.
2. If it is a five digit number that starts with a nine, it was organically grown. This means that natural fertilizers like manure or compost are used on the plants and beneficial insects are used to reduce pests.
3. If the five digit number starts with an eight, the produce was genetically modified.Genetic modification is a set of technologies that combines genes from different organisms. The goal is to reproduce certain traits – such as desired nutrients or insect resistance.
   

The jury is still out on whether the benefits of genetic modification outweigh the possible side effects.

The next time you’re buying produce, do your part by knowing what you’re buying; choose what’s best for your family, the environment and your budget.

To learn which organic fruits and vegetables are really worth your money, check out that story here.