WHAT IS PLU CODE? PLU CODE IN FRUITS

INTRODUCTION

Fruits and vegetables are part of our life. We consume fruits to keep our body healthy and well. Fruits are rich in all necessary nutrients like Fiber, Minerals, Vitamins, and Carbohydrates etc.

We prefer fruits to patients for speedy recovery. Everyone loves fruit, since most of the fruits are sweet in taste.

We used to buy fruits from the grocery marts. Every one of us might have noticed a sticker or label pasted on the fruit. Have you ever wondered what that label is? And the glue used to paste is???

Let us see the answer for this Query.

STICKERS OR LABELS ON THE FRUITS

Fruits sticker or label generally found on fruits bought from the grocery mart than in local sellers. The sticker has PLU Code. People will pick the fruit and refrigerate it after buying. In their point of view, the fruits are delicious and safe to consume.

The PLU code has bar code and some numbers. The bar code helps the vendor for billing. Additionally it contains the information about the fruits or vegetables i.e. how and where it is cultivated. This code called (PLU) ‘Price LookUp Number’. 

There are three types of stickers used in the fruits or vegetables.

i) Fruits labelled with 4 digit number : eg 4080 this says that the fruit has grown in convention or traditionally, i.e. the tree grown up with pesticides. All Bananas labelled with 4011 as code.

ii) Fruits labelled with 5 digit number, beginning with 8 : This says, that the fruit was Genetically modified (GMO – Genetically Modified Organisms). These fruits avoided for a healthy life. Many countries have banned or restricted to produce GMO. For example, the standard code for yellow Banana is 4011, if the number is 84011 it is Genetically Modified standard yellow Banana. 

iii) Fruits labelled with 5 digit number, beginning with 9 : This says, that the fruit was grown organically and it is best for consumption. However, these fruits might be costly when compared to other category. Because the farmers has to meet many requirement to certified as ‘Organic’.

The labeling as ‘Natural’ or ‘From Nature’ is different from Organic foods. The latter labeling does not require any Government authorization.

How Sticker does come?

The PLU’s issued by the IFPS - The International Federation for Produce Standards, to standardize the process across the World. 

Material and Adhesive of the Sticker :

The PLU Stickers can be made of plastic, paper or vinyl depending on the manufacturers. Those labels will not get compost if it thrown along with the peeled skin of fruits or vegetables.

The Adhesive used for labeling consist of various chemicals like rubber chlorides and many types of polymers. FDA recommended the adhesive should be a food grade additive. The adhesive used for sticker must be FDA approved.

The stickers are inedible but unknowingly if consumed it pass through our digestive system and digested. So remove the sticker and wash the fruits before consuming for healthy life.

CONCLUSION

Hope this is useful. Notice the numbers before you buy fruits in the grocery mart. Avoid GMO fruits. Many countries have banned or restricted to produce those items. "Eat Healthy Stay Healthy". Share this information to your surroundings as well.