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Those little stickers have the Price Look Up (PLU) code to speed up the check out process. The numbers are the same everywhere; the code for bananas is 4011, regardless of what store you're in, regardless of what state you're in. But did you know that look up number also tells you more?
The number on that little sticker is not only the Price Look Up number; it also tells how the product is grown or created. For conventionally grown fruit, the PLU code on the sticker consists of four numbers. Organically grown fruit have a five-numeral PLU beginning with the number 9. Genetically engineered fruit has a five-numeral PLU beginning with the number 8.
So using this numbering system, a conventionally grown banana would be 4011, an organic banana would be 94011 and a genetically engineered banana would be 84011.
The numeric system was developed by the Produce Electronic Identification Board, an affiliate of the Produce Marketing Association, a trade group for the produce industry.
While the stickers are helpful for accurately identifying and pricing produce, there are plenty of complaints about how well the stickers stick! According to the Produce Marketing Association, some shippers have begun using stickers designed with tabs that make them easier to lift off, and some shippers are buying equipment that applies adhesive to the sticker but not to the tab.
Companies are also experimenting with different sticker materials, such as vinyl, that hold up under a variety of temperature and moisture conditions.
The adhesive used to attach the stickers is food-grade, but the stickers themselves aren’t edible. To remove stubborn ones, soak them in warm water for a minute or two.
So the next time you pick up that kiwi, melon, pineapple, apple or banana, check out the numbering system. Is it conventionally or organically grown? Or, is it a result of genetic engineering? It’s all in the number!
Published 07/06/07
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Have you noticed the little stickers on your bananas, apples, peaches, pears, mangos, kiwi and other fruits? Those stickers help the store clerks tell the difference between Fuji and Gala apples and a hundred other choices. 
